China and North Korea are making another effort to develop their economic relationship, with a new transportation connection now available along their shared border. The opening comes during a period when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been maintaining close contact with both Beijing and Moscow.
For years, China has been North Korea’s main source of economic support. Kim has recently devoted more attention to Russia, supplying troops and military equipment for its war in Ukraine. The North Korean government may be receiving assistance in return, although the exact arrangements have not been established.
A new crossing over the Yalu River could provide more opportunities for commercial activity with China. The bridge, which opened in October following delays lasting over ten years, allows freight vehicles to travel between the neighboring countries at any time of day.
Kim traveled into China using that crossing on Saturday, October 24. His destination was Dandong, a border city where he met Wang Huning, one of the highest-ranking officials in the Chinese Communist Party.
Their activities included a tour of an automobile factory and conversations about future relations. Wang delivered a message of greeting from President Xi Jinping, who had met Kim in North Korea earlier this year.
That June meeting covered several areas where the governments might work together. Agriculture was among the subjects discussed, along with technology, construction and business.
Saturday’s trip had another purpose connected to events more than seven decades ago. Kim went to a memorial for Chinese military personnel who died during the Korean War, paying respect to those who had fought in support of North Korea.
The visit took place one day before an anniversary associated with China’s participation in the conflict. Chinese forces crossed into North Korea in October 1950, after the war had begun that summer.
North Korea had attacked South Korea in June, leading to an international military intervention organized through the United Nations and headed by American forces. China later entered the fighting on North Korea’s side, receiving air assistance from the Soviet Union.
The fighting ended in 1953 under an armistice rather than a permanent peace treaty. The absence of a final settlement remains part of the political situation between the two Koreas.
Kim has made relatively few trips to China since taking power in late 2011. Saturday marked his sixth visit, following a September 2025 trip to Beijing that included a meeting with Xi and attendance at a military parade.
While Pyongyang develops its relations with Beijing, negotiations with Washington remain stalled. President Donald Trump has offered to resume direct discussions with Kim, but North Korea continues to object to American demands concerning its nuclear weapons program.
South Korea’s government wants negotiations to begin again and has encouraged Chinese involvement in diplomatic efforts. Its intelligence agency recently gave lawmakers an estimate of 50% for the possibility of a Trump-Kim meeting during November’s APEC summit in Shenzhen.
At the end of the Dandong visit, Wang saw Kim off at the border bridge. The Chinese and North Korean state news agencies reported details of the meeting and the memorial visit.
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North Korea = Orange
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