Affected by the global epidemic, since the outbreak of the epidemic in 2020, the DPRK has closed the China-NORTH KOREA border for the first time, the railway has suspended operations, the level of blockade has gradually increased, and the former prosperity of the China-DPRK border has long disappeared. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce, the trade volume in the first three quarters of the China-DPRK border in 2021 was only 29% of the same period in 2009, which shows that the epidemic has a great impact on the trade exchanges between China and the DPRK.
Due to the impact of the epidemic, the trade between China and North Korea was interrupted, resulting in a shortage of urgently needed materials such as food and medical treatment in North Korea, and even affected the issuance of currency, so North Korea had to make timely response policies, so it gradually relaxed the previous lockdown.
After the railway blockade, China and North Korea can only trade by sea, and according to the General Administration of Customs of China, bilateral trade between China and North Korea hit a record since the epidemic last September, and also largely eased the tense domestic situation in North Korea. However, there are still many inconveniences in shipping compared to rail transport, and north Korea has to open up rail transport in view of the tension in the country.
On January 16, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the mainland confirmed that the China-DPRK railway freight port was restarted, and after nearly two years, the Yalu River Bridge ushered in the first train, and the first freight train from north Korea has arrived in dandong, the mainland, and will transport some daily necessities and medicines back to north Korea.
Affected by the epidemic, north Korea has blocked the country's door, although it has blocked the spread and spread of the epidemic, but also led to supply and demand problems in North Korea, this time North Korea chose to open the door to China again, reopen trade exchanges between the two countries, to a large extent alleviate the shortage of materials in North Korea, but also means that the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States against North Korea have become a bubble.
Recently, North Korea's frequent test firing of hypersonic missiles has made the United States very unhappy, so on January 12, local time, US Secretary of State Abraham Lincoln said that he would impose a new round of sanctions on North Korea, which involved seven individuals and a Russian company. The content of the sanctions is very funny, the United States unilaterally prohibits companies and individuals from engaging in any commercial trade involving the United States, this set of sanctions that the United States believes will not actually have any sanction effect, it is completely the wishful thinking of the United States itself.
In fact, as early as 2017, the Trump administration signed a sanctions order against North Korea, which stipulates that the United States prohibits any individuals and enterprises and financial institutions related to North Korea's trade dealings from conducting business activities, and the scope of sanctions involves all walks of life in North Korea, and what is even more outrageous is that even freighters that have visited North Korea are also prohibited from entering the United States. In fact, this measure by the United States has caused North Korea to lose contact with the outside world and completely cut off international trade exchanges. Fortunately, with China's help, North Korea was able to tide over the difficulties and get back on track.
The resumption of trade between the DPRK and China is the correct decision made by the DPRK. North Korea, as a developing country, its own economic strength is limited, before the main rely on tourism to develop the economy, affected by the epidemic, the tourism industry is in a slump, coupled with the unreasonable sanctions imposed by the United States, it is really difficult for the DPRK as a country.
China as a neighbor of north Korea, as an emerging power, plays an increasingly important role in the global stage, at a critical time, China chose to support and help its neighbors, the two countries after friendly consultation, decided to restore the Dandong to Sinuiju railway port, other ports will also be opened, the two countries in the premise of ensuring the safety of the epidemic to resume trade exchanges, the restart of China-NORTH Korea railway freight itself is to say "no" to unilateral economic sanctions by the United States.
In fact, the United States repeated sanctions did not have an impact on the North Korean economy, at the beginning of the epidemic, North Korea was closed to the country, prohibiting all international trade, and now north Korea has mastered hypersonic missile technology, resumed trade with China, can smoothly survive the shortage of materials, but also released a good signal to the economic and trade cooperation in the entire Southeast Asian region, which is undoubtedly a huge blow and silent counterattack for the United States, and the series of sanctions policies introduced by the United States against North Korea are gradually having little substantive effect. Even if the United States sends out countless signals of discontent, it will not help.
Affected by the epidemic, the global economic recovery is far away, the United States has accumulated more than 800,000 people lost their lives in the epidemic, they disregard the people of their own countries, but are bent on provoking contradictions between global hotspots, and the DOMESTIC ECONOMY in the United States continues to decline. In the global epidemic, China has also played the role of an economic engine, always holding a friendly and helpful attitude, resuming trade exchanges with the DPRK, and also having a great stimulating effect on the economic recovery of the DPRK, whether it is good for the DPRK's economy or diplomacy.