China and North Korea resumed cross-border passenger train services Thursday for the first time in six years after the route was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An international passenger train linking the Chinese city of Dandong in Liaoning province with the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, departed at 10 am (0200 GMT) from Dandong, according to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency.
The train is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang at 6:07 pm (0907 GMT), and the service will operate daily in both directions.
Passenger services between the two countries were suspended in January 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said maintaining train operations is important for people-to-people exchanges.
North Korea and China are "close neighbors," Guo said during a news conference.
"China supports competent authorities of the two countries in maintaining communication and providing more favorable conditions for people-to-people exchanges between the two sides," Guo added.
