North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, marking his first known trip abroad in more than a year. He traveled by train from Pyongyang to Sinuiju and entered China via the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge.
During the visit, Kim met with a senior Chinese official and inaugurated the new bridge while showing gratitude for support. The trip took place one day before the anniversary of Chinese troops' entry into the Korean War.
The visit is part of an increasingly assertive foreign policy as Kim seeks to align Pyongyang with Beijing and Moscow in a united front against the United States under what he portrays as a new Cold War. China continues to be North Korea's largest trading partner and a vital source of diplomatic, economic, and political support.