IMPROVING N. KOREA-CHINA RELATIONS

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea and China appear to be on friendly terms again as the two countries get ready to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un is expected to visit China on that day and North Korea is preparing to open a new bridge over the Yalu River to connect the two sides.

[Pkg]

The New Yalu River Bridge connecting Sinuiju in North Korea and Dandong in China. Completed in 2014, but it has been left unopened because no access road was available. However, reports have confirmed that the regime started getting ready for the bridge opening in mid-August. According to multiple sources, to carry out its leader Kim Jong-un's Order Number 1, North Korea started building access roads to the New Yalu River Bridge about a month ago.

[Soundbite] (DANDONG RESIDENT) : "It will become easier to do shopping or trading and for friends and relatives to visit. We also want the bridge opened soon."

This telescopic camera shot doesn't show any construction underway near the bridge, but reportedly workers already started building an access road from Yongchon in Pyonganbuk-do Province. It will take more time for North Korea to set up immigration facilities, but trade and personnel exchanges between Pyongyang and Beijing are expected to spike once the bridge opens. The Resist America and Aid Korea Memorial Hall has come under the spotlight as the two sides get ready to celebrate 70 years of bilateral diplomatic relations. The war of resisting America and aiding Korea is what China calls the Korean War. This memorial hall is poised for re-opening after undergoing a three-year renovation. Diplomatic sources say Kim Jong-un may even visit the museum next month.

[Soundbite] (EMPLOYEE OF RESIST AMERICA AND AID KOREA MEMORIAL HALL IN DANDONG) : "I've heard about it but it could be just speculations, because we didn't receive any official notice. We don't know who's coming."

As all signs point to the North Korean leader's fifth visit to China, some analysts in Dandong speculate that the city may be chosen to host the next Pyongyang-Beijing summit.