North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has returned home after a day trip to the Chinese border city of Dandong, state news agency Xinhua has reported, following a symbolic crossing over a newly opened bridge. Kim was accompanied during his visit on Saturday by China’s fourth-highest-ranked official, Wang Huning, who conveyed “cordial greetings and best wishes” from Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to Xinhua. The visit came about a week after the New Yalu River Bridge linking the two countries was officially opened, 12 years after its completion, deepening economic ties between the Asian giant and its small, nuclear-armed neighbour.
Kim’s visit also coincided with the eve of the anniversary of China’s entry into the 1950–1953 Korean War. Kim and Wang visited a Korean War memorial in Dandong, where the North Korean leader paid tribute to Chinese soldiers who fought alongside North Korea during the conflict, Xinhua reported. The two also toured a local auto factory and pledged to strengthen bilateral relations.
Pyongyang “stands ready to work with China to carry forward their historical friendship and expand their practical cooperation,” Kim said, according to Xinhua. Wang later accompanied Kim to the new bridge to bid farewell to the North Korean leader. Analysts say the trip reflects Kim’s increasingly assertive foreign policy, as he seeks to align Pyongyang with Beijing and Moscow in a united front against the United States, in what he portrays as a “new Cold War”.
Experts said the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge, which stretches 3km (1.9 miles) across the Yalu River, was a key symbol of strengthening ties between the two countries and reflected their intent to expand trade. It is expected to accommodate two-way traffic around the clock, including container shipments and heavy cargo trucks. The four-lane structure was completed in 2014, but its opening was delayed due to a lack of connecting roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side, according to South Korean news reports.
China is North Korea’s largest trading partner and a vital source of diplomatic, economic and political support for the reclusive state, although ties have not always been smooth. China, which fought alongside North Korea in the Korean War, is Pyongyang’s main economic and diplomatic backer. However, North Korea has drawn closer to Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which analysts say has reduced Pyongyang’s reliance on Beijing.
Kim’s last known visit to China was in September 2025 to attend the 80th Victory Day celebrations in Beijing, where he held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi made a state visit to North Korea in June in which he expressed Beijing’s willingness to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction and technology, while Kim described ties with China as a top strategic priority.
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