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Coronavirus: freight trains roll again between China and North Korea after 5 months on hold
- Cross-border transport between the countries was suspended on April 29 when Dandong reported new wave of Covid-19 cases
- The two countries resumed freight operations between ports after ‘friendly consultations’
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China and North Korea have resumed cross-border freight train operations five months after they were suspended, the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed.
The two countries agreed to resume the services between Dandong in China and Sinuiju in North Korea after “friendly consultations”, ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday.
“Both sides will continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation to actively ensure the safe and stable operation of rail freight,” Wang said.
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A freight train from Dandong crossed the Yalu River Bridge and arrived in Sinuiju on Monday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.
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Cross-border transport between North Korea and China was suspended on April 29 when Dandong reported a new wave of Covid-19 cases. Soon after, North Korea also reported its own Covid-19 outbreaks, which it says have since ended.
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It was the second time the Dandong-Sinuiju link had been suspended due to the pandemic. It was closed in early 2020 when Covid-19 was first detected in Wuhan in central China and only reopened in January this year.
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