Before I even walk into the restaurant in the Chinese city of Dandong, there are obvious signs of its ties to North Korea.
asserted
I → walk → Korea
Upbeat North Korean songs blare from a loudspeaker placed outside the entrance counter, where two small North Korean flags are standing in a vase.
asserted
flags → blare → vase
Inside I'm given a menu written in North Korean, while images of Pyongyang army and navy soldiers pass across a giant TV screen adorning one wall.
asserted
images → give → wall
Multiple A4 white pages are taped to walls and pylons with warnings saying "no camera", "no filming the wait staff" and "no photo".
asserted
pages → tap → staff
I keep my phone in my bag, but discreetly ask some of the wait staff who are rushing from table to table, are you from North Korea?
asserted
you → keep → Korea
"Yes," they reply, "… and so is the chef."
asserted
chef → reply → ?
A United Nations Security Council resolution in 2017 made it unlawful for member states — including China — to allow the employment of North Korean workers in their jurisdictions.
asserted
states → make → jurisdictions
But it's clearly happening here in Dandong, on the China-North Korea border.
asserted
it → happen → border
This city has become an economic lifeline for Pyongyang, which has been hit with decades of international sanctions over its illegal nuclear weapons program.
asserted
which → become → program
China has always denied hosting workers from North Korea, but a report last year found there were 20,000–70,000 North Korean labourers in China.
asserted
report → deny → China
The Chinese foreign ministry was contacted for comment.
asserted
ministry → contact → comment
China accounts for about 95 per cent of North Korea's official trade — most of which flows through Dandong over an old border bridge across the Yalu River.
asserted
most → account → River
Every day, people gather on the shoreline of Dandong to watch the trucks drive over a single-lane, old and rickety bridge, travelling a short few hundred metres into the North Korean city of Sinuiju.
They also stare with binoculars and phones at the North Korean buildings and apartment blocks on the other side of the Yalu River.
asserted
They → gather → River
A warming relationship
This week, the two countries deepened their relationship by opening the biggest and most significant border crossing between the two cities — a four-lane bridge that some experts say has the potential to dramatically increase cargo loads.
asserted
experts → warm → loads
It was a big moment for the people of Dandong, who turned out in mass crowds to cheer and take photos as the trucks passed over for the first time.
asserted
trucks → turn → time
Onlooker Ms Zhang said she had never been to North Korea, despite living in Dandong her whole life.
asserted
she → say → Dandong
But she supported the new trade route and China's attempts to strengthen ties with its neighbour.
asserted
she → support → neighbour
"[Our relationship with North Korea] should be friendly," she said.
asserted
she → say → Korea
"North Korea is a neighbouring country; protecting them is helping ourselves, and their safety is our own security."
asserted
safety → neighbour → ourselves
At the foot of the new bridge, streams of tourists line up to take selfies and group photos with the mega-structure.
asserted
streams → line → structure
"Long live the China-North Korea friendship," one onlooker, Mr Yang, said with a laugh.
"
asserted
onlooker → live → laugh
We and North Korea have always had very good relations.
asserted
We → have → relations
Because the foundation was laid during the Korean War, and the next generation continued to carry it forward.
asserted
generation → lay → it
Sino-North Korea watchers say the opening of the bridge is a clear sign of the growing closeness of the two countries, after a period of tension.
asserted
opening → say → tension
The border route was originally financed and completed by China in 2014, but its opening was postponed indefinitely by North Korea when relations soured over China's support for UN sanctions.
asserted
relations → finance → sanctions
But following a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korea's Kim Jong Un earlier this year, the frostiness seems to be thawing.
asserted
frostiness → follow → Jinping
China will see this as an opportunity to gain more economic leverage over North Korea, but will most likely go slowly, according to Dr Sow Keat Tok from the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne.
uncertain
China → see → Melbourne
"We are looking at China winning in the sense that it got its foot back into Pyongyang," he said.
asserted
he → look → Pyongyang
"After a decade of very cool relationship, and the fact that China is now more willing to mellow down its tone [and] speech over nuclearisation in North Korea, that actually gets itself back into the game.
asserted
that → mellow → game
"
Chinese officials have also alluded to a new era of partnership between the two countries.
asserted
officials → allude → countries
"(Bilateral) relations are entering a new phase, embarking on a new chapter," Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in a video address that was played at the bridge's opening in Dandong, according to state media.
uncertain
that → enter → media
Dr Tok said China was also trying to reassert its influence over Pyongyang, which has drifted even closer to Russia in recent years.
asserted
which → say → years
North Korea has sent troops and weaponry to Moscow to aid in its war in Ukraine, in exchange for financial aid.
asserted
Korea → send → aid
Last month, the kingdom also opened its first road bridge with Russia.
asserted
kingdom → open → Russia
"North Korea is now leveraging its relations with Beijing and Moscow against each other," Dr Tok said.
asserted
Tok → leverage → other
Dandong locals watching the opening ceremony were hopeful the bridge's opening would lead to an economic boost for their city, which once thrived as the primary trade gateway to North Korea.
asserted
which → watch → Korea
Ms Wu, from Dandong, has never been to North Korea but wants to visit.
asserted
Wu → want → Korea
"I think this [new bridge] should bring great development to Dandong," she said.
asserted
she → think → Dandong
"Although we don't understand technical terms like economics and trade, I think more and more people will come to Dandong, which should be very helpful for the region."
asserted
which → understand → region
China's exports to North Korea rose to a six-year high of $2.3 billion last year, an increase of 25 per cent on the year before.
asserted
exports → rise → year
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia