North Korean leader Kim Jong-un crossed a newly opened bridge into China on Saturday, marking his first known overseas trip in more than a year and highlighting efforts by Pyongyang and Beijing to strengthen their longstanding relationship.
Kim arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong, in Liaoning province, after travelling by train from Pyongyang to the North Korean city of Sinuiju and crossing the New Yalu River Bridge, according to a South Korean government source cited by Yonhap News Agency. The visit had not been announced in advance, and neither North Korea nor China had officially confirmed the trip by Saturday evening, according to reports at the time.
The visit came just a day before China and North Korea were due to mark the anniversary of Chinese troops entering the Korean War in October 1950 to support North Korea. The conflict, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, remains an important part of the two countries’ shared history and diplomatic relationship.
The New Yalu River Bridge, which connects Sinuiju with Dandong across the Yalu River, opened in mid-October, around 12 years after China completed its construction. Its inauguration had been delayed for years because of holdups on the North Korean side, including the completion of connecting roads and customs facilities.
Stretching about three kilometres, the four-lane bridge is expected to improve cross-border transport and facilitate trade between the two neighbours. The new connection could ease the movement of heavy vehicles, industrial equipment, raw materials and energy supplies, helping address logistical difficulties that have affected economic exchanges between the countries.
China remains North Korea’s principal economic and diplomatic partner, despite Pyongyang’s growing engagement with Russia in recent years. The opening of the bridge also follows the inauguration of the first road bridge between North Korea and Russia in September, giving Pyongyang improved land connections with two of its key international partners.
During the visit, Kim met Wang Huning, a senior member of China’s Communist Party leadership. The two discussed strengthening relations and visited an automobile factory in Dandong. According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Kim expressed his country’s willingness to deepen its historic friendship with Beijing and expand practical cooperation for the benefit of both nations. Wang conveyed greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Kim’s visit to China was his sixth since taking power in 2011. His previous trip was in September 2025, when he attended a military parade in Beijing alongside Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Chinese President Xi visited Pyongyang in June this year, marking his first trip to North Korea in seven years. These high-level exchanges have reflected continued efforts by both governments to maintain close diplomatic ties.
The visit also comes against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between North Korea and South Korea. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, has issued several statements criticising Seoul since late September, with South Korea’s unification ministry describing the frequency of the remarks as unusual. She has also announced plans to resume loudspeaker broadcasts along the border, adding to tensions between the two neighbours.
Meanwhile, the possibility of renewed engagement between North Korea and the United States has drawn attention ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled to be hosted by China in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19. US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the summit, fuelling speculation about a possible meeting with Kim. However, Reuters reported that US and South Korean officials saw little likelihood of a meeting between the two leaders before the end of 2026.
Kim’s crossing of the newly opened bridge therefore carries both economic and diplomatic significance. While the infrastructure is expected to improve trade and connectivity, his visit also underlines the importance North Korea attaches to its relationship with China at a time when Pyongyang is expanding its ties with Russia and facing strained relations with Seoul. The bridge’s opening could provide a fresh avenue for economic cooperation between Beijing and Pyongyang, while reinforcing their historic partnership.
