New four-lane bridge between China and North Korea opens after a decade of delay

A new four-lane road bridge linking China and North Korea finally opened on Thursday, 12 years late, enabling the Asian giant and its isolated nuclear-armed neighbour to substantially step up cross-border trade. China is North Korea's largest trading partner and a vital diplomatic and political backer, although relations have not always been smooth with the ruling Kim dynasty. Hundreds of people gathered on Thursday in the northern Chinese border town of Dandong, taking selfies in front of the 3,026-metre New Yalu River vehicle bridge before it opened. Trucks bearing the nations' flags began moving in both directions late in the morning, with some of the North Korean vehicles decorated with flowers.