Chinese state media triumphantly announced the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge connecting Dandong, China, and Sinuiju, North Korea on Thursday — a project believed to have been completed in 2014 but stalled by the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic and its diplomatic strain on bilateral ties.
\n\nThe flagship state news outlet Xinhua noted that senior leadership in Beijing recognized the opening of the bridge via a pre-recorded speech by Premier Li Qiang, who serves in practice as second-in-command and domestic policy overseer for communist dictator Xi Jinping. Li celebrated the bridge opening as a sign that China-North Korea relations were regularly strengthening, including through economic ties which are significantly limited by international sanctions.
\n\n“The bridge is bound to become a new landmark symbolizing the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK [North Korea],” Li declared, according to Xinhua. Li reportedly described the bridge as “an opportunity to continuously optimize port clearance, enhance connectivity, tap the potential for cooperation in border areas, and improve the well-being of the two peoples.”
\n\nHe also suggested that China is open to expanding “political mutual trust” and “practical cooperation” with North Korea.
\n\nThe Chinese Foreign Ministry separately applauded the upcoming opening of the bridge on…
Original source: https://www.breitbart.com/economy/
