China is set to begin construction of a bridge which will cross the Tumen river between North Korea and China, Yonhap reported on Friday, citing Chinese state media.
The 804-meter long bridge, entirely funded by Chinese authorities at a cost of 21.9 million dollars, will connect the Chinese border town Tumen with Chongjin, on North Korea’s northwestern coast.
Construction is already underway of a second bridge connecting Dandun with Sinuiju, spanning three kilometers across the Yalu river, Itar-Tass reported in April.
Construction of the Dandong-Sinuiju link is planned to wrap up in December this year, and will increase transport capacity across the Chinese-North Korean border.
Chinese authorities are also spending 326 million dollars setting up a 38-hectar trade complex in Dandong, expected to handle up to 60 percent of trade dealings with North Korea.
Last year, North Korea’s external trade volume reached a record high of 7.34 billion dollars, according to a recent report from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), with China accounting for nearly 90 percent of the total volume.
Picture: NK News
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