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It may not be long when people of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will be able to cross the border through a new bridge over the Yalu River in half a century.

Under an agreement between the two sides, the bridge to be built will link up the cities of Dandong in northeast China's Liaoning and Sin'uiju in the DPRK, according to legislators attending the current session of the country's top legislative body.

The Liaoning provincial government was notified recently by the government of Pyongan-bukdo that the DPRK government has agreed to the plan on building the road bridge. The two sides are expected to work out details of the project very soon, including the site of the bridge and related matters.

Chen Yueming, chairman of the legislature of Dandong, the largest border city facing the DPRK across the river, told Xinhua the planned bridge would be the first of its kind in about half a century. "I believe it will increase exchanges between the two countries."
The proposal on the project was first made in 2000 at an annual session of the Ninth National People's Congress, China's top legislature, and the message was then conveyed to the DPRK side through relevant Chinese departments, said Chen.

There used to be three border bridges across the lower reaches of the Yalu River, two of which were destroyed by American forces during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

The railway bridge which survived the bombing was built in 1943 was later converted for railway and road transportation.

Named "Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge," the bridge has been a major link between the two countries.

Trade between the two countries via the existing bridge has ballooned remarkably in recent years. The bridge can not handle the increasing amount of goods.

Located in the center of northeast Asia, Dandong sits opposite to DPRK's Sin'uiju. From the city the Chinese People's Volunteers entered the DPRK after the Korean War broke out in 1950.

Liaoning provincial officials said a 223-km-long expressway linking Dandong with Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning, will be open to traffic in August, an extension part of the Beijing- Shenyang expressway.