A South Korean official, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed that Kim entered China through the bridge connecting the two countries. Another official said Chinese Premier Li Qiang met Kim in Dandong. The visit took place one day before the anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War (1950–1953).
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that Kim was expected to return to North Korea following Saturday’s visit. A South Korean official familiar with the matter also indicated that a trip to Beijing before the Chinese Communist Party’s high-level meetings, scheduled to begin on Monday, was unlikely.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Newly Opened Bridge to Boost Bilateral Trade
China and North Korea opened the 3-kilometre New Yalu River Bridge earlier this month after years of delays. The crossing is a significant development in efforts to revive trade and commercial activities disrupted by strained relations and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lu Chao, an expert on China–North Korea relations at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences in Shenyang, said Kim’s visit reflected a period of closer economic cooperation and more frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries.
According to Lu, the bridge has removed a major obstacle to cross-border trade, potentially increasing bilateral commerce. It is expected to facilitate the transportation of heavy equipment, raw materials and energy supplies needed for North Korea’s economic development.
Christopher Green, a Korea specialist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, described Kim’s decision to cross the bridge as a significant endorsement of bilateral trade. He noted that the bridge had long symbolized the difficulties in relations between the two neighbors.
Strengthening Political and Economic Ties
Kim’s latest visit follows his trip to Beijing in September 2025, when he attended celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the war against Japan and held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi subsequently visited North Korea in June 2026.
China remains North Korea’s principal economic and diplomatic supporter and accounts for the majority of its officially recorded foreign trade. Beijing also supported Pyongyang during the Korean War.
However, North Korea has strengthened its relationship with Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Analysts believe that closer ties with Russia have helped Pyongyang reduce its dependence on China to some extent.
The opening of the New Yalu River Bridge and the recent exchanges between senior leaders suggest that Beijing and Pyongyang are seeking to expand economic cooperation while maintaining their longstanding political relationship.
Prospects for US–North Korea Talks
US President Donald Trump has expressed interest in restarting negotiations with North Korea. However, American and South Korean officials believe the likelihood of a meeting between Trump and Kim before the end of 2026 has diminished, Reuters reported on Friday.
Meanwhile, China is scheduled to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen next month, which Trump is expected to attend.
Kim’s visit highlights the continuing importance of China–North Korea relations at a time of shifting regional alliances, renewed economic cooperation and uncertainty over the prospects for renewed diplomatic engagement between Washington and Pyongyang.
Source: Reuters
