North Korea Opens 2 New Border Bridges as China and Russia Vie for Influence
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 23
North Korea Opens 2 New Border Bridges as China and Russia Vie for Influence
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 23
Summary
Dozens of trucks are now crossing the 3-km New Yalu River Bridge between Dandong and Sinuiju after its 15 October opening, giving North Korea a new trade route with China.
That launch came about a month after North Korea opened its first road bridge to Russia, deepening Pyongyang's effort to expand economic and strategic options beyond reliance on Beijing.
China still dominates North Korea's external economy, but analysts say weaker Chinese enforcement and Russia's rejection of UN sanctions now let Pyongyang extract more trade, cash and weapons support from both.
Kim Jong-un has sent ammunition and as many as 16,000 troops to aid Russia's war in Ukraine, then used closer Moscow ties to seek additional leverage with Beijing while resisting dependence on either.
Analysts expect trade on the new bridges to rise only modestly at first, but say traffic could become a visible gauge of Sino-North Korean relations even as ordinary North Koreans see little benefit.