China, North Korea border could be site of new projects, report says

April 14 (UPI) -- China and North Korea could be preparing to reassess their border months after Pyongyang closed trade links.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Dandong is seeking feasibility studies in connection to the New Yalu River Bridge, an incomplete span between the two countries, the South China Morning Post reported Wednesday.

The eight-lane bridge was intended to replace the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which is one of the few visible symbols of China-North Korea exchange. Trucks and trains that cross the bridge account for about half of trade between the two countries, according to South Korean estimates.

The Post also reported that an "environmental consulting firm" in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang was contracted to carry out an assessment to "ensure the sustainable development of the border economic cooperation zone" in January.

In March, northeastern Liaoning province began to seek bids for a safety inspection in connection to the new bridge, the report said.

Lu Chao, a Chinese analyst at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Post any trade between the two countries is likely to be low in volume.

Trade will be "mainly limited to farm production materials such as chemical fertilizer, tractors and agricultural machinery parts that are now badly needed in North Korea as spring seeding season is approaching," Lu said.

The report of renewed border activity comes as new North Korean Ambassador to China Ri Ryong Nam met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

China Central Television reported Wednesday Xi met with Ri and other new ambassadors to accept their credentials in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi told foreign ambassadors that China hopes "each nation will strengthen the multilateral trade system, and promote the establishment of a community of [a common] destiny for humanity," according to state media.

Xi also promoted his Belt and Road initiative, a Chinese project to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure that links Asia, Europe and Africa.