Back on the rails: Dandong’s border traffic hints at a China-North Korea thaw

Dandong, the Chinese border city that faces North Korea across the Yalu River, is a barometer of ties between Beijing and Pyongyang.While lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic led North Korea to sink into even greater isolation than usual, the resumption of cross-border rail links in recent months has triggered a pickup in activity, with freight volumes rising and local travel agencies reporting a steady stream of inquiries.A man holds a banner reading “Beijing-Pyongyang” in front of a train bound for Pyongyang at Beijing-railway-station" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="134727" data-entity-type="location">Beijing Railway Station on March 12. Photo: AFPIn March, the first passenger trains crossed the border since North Korea sealed its frontiers in early 2020, with four trains from Beijing to Pyongyang running each week and a daily service from Dandong.