China open the train line to North Korea

China hopes the fast train line will improve the economic competitiveness of the region. (Reuters)

China opened a high-speed train line connecting the city of Shenyang, east China, the Dandong on the border of North Korea.



The pathway that takes five years to be completed built it, cutting the journey time of three and a half hours to just about an hour.

China hopes the railway line will improve the economic competitiveness of the region.

Approximately 80% of trade between China and North Korea passed through Dandong, which is located near the special economic zone on the island of Hwanggumpyong.

China supports the development of three special economic areas in North Korea hoping to benefit from the low labor costs in North Korea.

Beijing also encourage the North to pay attention to the advantage of economic reforms, although officially still opposed to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

Although there is little progress new economic zone, China continued to improve public infrastructure at the border, including the construction of a bridge from Dandong to North Korea.

(Source: BBC)