Kim Jong Un crosses new Yalu River Bridge into China on first trip abroad in a year

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crossed into China on Saturday over the newly opened Yalu River Bridge, arriving in the border city of Dandong on his first foreign trip in a year, CBS News reported, citing North Korea's KCNA, China's Xinhua and South Korea's Unification Ministry. He said the bridge would fulfil its "historic mission of linking the two countries".

Who he met

Kim was received by Wang Huning, one of the seven members of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, who passed on greetings from President Xi Jinping. The two toured a car factory, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi was at the bridge ceremony. At a memorial to China's role in the 1950 to 1953 Korean War, Kim spoke of the "invincible DPRK-China friendship forged at the cost of blood"; Wang called the memorial visit "of great significance".

Why the bridge matters

The Yalu River is the main border between North Korea and China, and China is North Korea's biggest trading partner and economic lifeline. A new road bridge into Dandong, the hub for most of that trade, gives Pyongyang a wider gate for goods at a time when it is under heavy international sanctions. Kim's choice to open it in person, with a senior Standing Committee member waiting on the other side, signals both sides want the link to be seen.

Back towards Beijing after years with Moscow

For the past few years Kim has leaned on Russia, sending thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, reportedly in return for military and economic help. This trip is part of a turn back towards Beijing, which has been working to restore its influence over Pyongyang. Kim last visited China in September 2025, when he met Xi in Beijing and watched a military parade next to Putin.

Kim describes the world as a "new Cold War" and wants North Korea lined up with China and Russia against the United States, CBS noted.

Why it matters for Pakistan

China is Pakistan's closest strategic partner and largest lender, and Islamabad watches every shift in Beijing's alliances. A China that pulls North Korea closer while managing ties with Washington and Moscow is the same China that Pakistan is negotiating CPEC's next phase with: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met the Chinese envoy on Saturday to discuss CPEC, trade and regional stability, The Express Tribune reported.

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