A restaurant in Dandong advertises its North Korean ties with upbeat songs, small flags and a menu written in North Korean. Wait staff told the ABC they are from North Korea, as is the chef. Signs on the walls warn patrons not to photograph the staff.
The presence of North Korean workers in China is prohibited under a 2017 United Nations Security Council resolution, but in Dandong it is an open secret. China has always denied hosting North Korean workers, but a report last year estimated 20,000 to 70,000 North Korean labourers are in the country.
Dandong sits on the border with North Korea, separated by the Yalu River. A single-lane, aging bridge carries a steady stream of trucks into the North Korean city of Sinuiju. China accounts for about 95 per cent of North Korea's official trade, most of it passing through Dandong.
This week, the two countries opened a new four-lane border bridge — the largest and most significant crossing between the two cities. Locals turned out in large numbers for the event. Experts say the bridge has the potential to dramatically increase the volume of cargo moving across the border.
The ABC contacted the Chinese foreign ministry for comment on the employment of North Korean workers but did not receive a response at the time of publication.