Chinese Government provides RMB 139.59 million grant for New Tumen River Bridge Construction Project (Linked to Project ID#63578)

As early as 2010, a representative of the People's Congress of Jilin Province pointed out that the existing Tumen River Bridge deck and body had aged and could longer meet the current needs of passenger and cargo transportation between China and North Korea. Survey work for a new bridge was undertaken at the end of 2013. Then, on June 27, 2014, Chinese Government and the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea signed an agreement regarding the New Tumen River Bridge Construction Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOCOM) reportedly provided RMB 139,593,900 of grant funding for the project. The purpose of this project was to construct a new, 549 meter-long and 23 meter-wide bridge over the Tumen River that connects Hunchun City, Jilin Province, China, with Sonbong County, Rason, North Korea. The Old Tumen River Bridge was constructed in 1936 and it is only 30 meters upstream from the New Tumen River Bridge. Upon completion of the New Tumen River Bridge, the Old Tumen River Bridge was not to be demolished. It was to instead become a tourist attraction. Jilin Traffic Planning and Design Institute was responsible for project design and Hunchun City Circle River Bridge Construction Project Office (珲春市圈河大桥建设项目办公室) was responsible for project implementation. The project commenced on September 20, 2014 and it was completed on October 28, 2016.

Additional details

1. This project is also known as the Juan River-Wonjong Bridge Construction Project or the New China-North Korea Tumen River Bridge Construction Project. The Korean project title is 신두만강대교. The Chinese project title is 图们江大桥 or 圈河—元汀界河公路大桥 or 中朝边境圈河口岸大桥工程 or 中朝圈河至元汀界河公路大桥工程. 2. Some sources identify the cost of the project as RMB 180 million rather than RMB 139.59 million. This issue requires further investigation. 3. The Old Tumen River Bridge is only 30 meters upstream from the New Tumen River Bridge. The Chinese Government-financed Old Tumen River Bridge Renovation Project is captured in Project ID#63578.

Number of official sources

5

Number of total sources

12