China’s gateway to North Korea feels chill of Covid-19 border closure

The northeastern Chinese city of Dandong is suffering as its link across the Yalu River remains closed to tourists and small businesses

Even the May holiday travel boom failed to boost the local economy as visitors mostly stayed away

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Published: 10:00pm, 9 May 2021Updated: 10:00pm, 9 May 2021

“Any Taedonggang beer?” That was the first thing 31-year-old Simon (not his real name) asked for, as he took his seat at a North Korean restaurant in Dandong, China’s largest northeastern border city.

The smiling, bright-eyed North Korean waitress responded in accented Mandarin: “Sorry we don’t have it any more.” Simon, a Chinese tourist guide, who has specialised in North Korea tours for four years, was certain of the reason. “It’s out of stock because nothing can be transported over.”

The popular North Korean Taedonggang beer is no longer available in Dandong. Photo: Handout

North Korea’s Taedonggang beer – named after the river running through its capital Pyongyang – stopped flowing into China last year, along with most other North Korean exports, according to official Chinese customs data.

Pyongyang shut the country’s borders in January 2020, soon after the new coronavirus emerged in China. Travel was banned and trade by road, rail and sea almost entirely suspended. Between 50,000 and 70,000 North Korean waitresses and factory workers were left stranded on the Chinese side of the border, according to estimates by South Korean research institutes.

There has been much speculation about the continuing border lockdown. Human rights groups warn North Korea is facing dire food shortages, with observers predicting Pyongyang will soon have to ask China for aid, while media reports suggest normal trade between the two countries could soon resume.

But not all trade has been suspended. The latest Chinese customs numbers show exports to North Korea spiked significantly to US$12.98 million in March – from about US$3,000 in February – topping the US$10 million mark for the first time since September.