New Yalu River Bridge
The New Yalu (Amnok) River Bridge (Chinese: 新鸭绿江大桥, Korean: 조중압록강다리) or Korea-China Amnokgang Bridge, is a road bridge across the Amnok River between Dandong, Liaoning Province, China, and Sinuiju, North Korea. The cable-stayed bridge, which is 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) long including the supporting roads, is intended as a replacement for the Sino–Korean Friendship Bridge. Construction began in October 2011[1] and is mostly complete and connected with Xingdan Road, but the project stalled between 2014 and 2019.[2][3] In April 2020, it was reported that the project would be completed in July.[4] On the Chinese side, it is connected to roads, but a barrier gate next to a booth prevents access onto the bridge.
New Yalu River Bridge | |
|---|---|
 New Yalu River Bridge in September 2016. | |
| Coordinates | 40°2′8″N 124°22′10″E |
| Carries | road traffic |
| Crosses | Amnok River |
| Locale | Dandong, Liaoning, China Sinŭiju, North P'yŏngan, North Korea |
| Official name | Chinese: 新鸭绿江大桥 Korean: 조중압록강다리 |
| Other name(s) | Korea-China Amnokgang Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 3 km (9,800 ft) |
| History | |
| Construction start | October 2011 |
| Location | |
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Construction history
The New Yalu River Bridge was built as a replacement for the Sino–Korean Friendship Bridge, one of two other bridges in the area, to improve travel and trade between the two countries. The Sino–Korean Friendship Bridge, which opened in 1943, is only wide enough for a single rail track and a single reversible lane. Construction of the New Yalu River Bridge began in 2011, reportedly cost China $350 million USD to complete,[5] and has multiple lanes to carry traffic in both directions.[2]
It was originally planned to open in 2014, but due to delays on the North Korean side, the opening has been postponed indefinitely, as the bridge currently ends in a field outside of Sinuiju, North Korea.[6] There is very little activity connected with the bridge.[7] In October 2017, North Korea has demanded that "Beijing to cover more of the costs of building the border bridge".[8]
All the border crossing staff and the tax station are to be transferred to the new bridge when/if it opens.
In June 2019, Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping pledged to pay for roads and customs posts on the North Korean side of the bridge.[9]
In late September 2019, the construction for road links and customs posts on the North Korean side of the bridge began.[10][3] By April 2020 the project was reportedly near completion.[4] In mid-August 2020, the project was stopped again.[11]
References
- New Yalu River Bridge (Hudong Encyclopedia) (in Chinese)
- Lee, Nathaniel (5 May 2017). "China built a $350 million bridge that ends in a dirt field in North Korea". Business Insider.
- https://www.nknews.org/pro/work-continues-on-dprk-side-to-connect-long-stalled-cross-border-bridge-with-china/
- "N. KOREA PREPARES BRIDGE CONNECTING WITH CHINA / KBS뉴스(News)". YouTube. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- Talmadge, Eric (17 November 2014). "china's $350m bridge gets scant North Korean welcome". Associated Press – via Aiken Standard.
- Joseph, Devan; Associated Press (19 November 2014). "China Just Built A Massive $350 Million Bridge That Ends In A Dirt Field In North Korea". Business Insider.
- Wong, Sue-Lin (11 September 2016). "Bridge to nowhere shows China's failed efforts to engage North Korea". Reuters.
- "Report: North Korea soldier has no recollection of daring escape". UPI. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- Hirai, Yoshikazu (29 July 2019). "China to fund costs so bridge to North Korea can open to traffic". Asahi Shimbun.
- Zwirko, Colin (26 September 2019). "Homes demolished in path of long-stalled Sino-DPRK "bridge to nowhere": imagery". NK Pro. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- Zwirko, Colin (25 September 2020). "Work on China-DPRK 'bridge to nowhere' stops amid new COVID-19 border controls". NK News. Retrieved 25 September 2020.