A project to build a new bridge connecting China and North Korea opened a call for bids, according to the official website of Jilin government on Monday.

The step officially moves the project linking Ji'an, Jilin Province to Manpo, North Korea across the Yalu River into a new phase.

According to the bid announcement, this project was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and funded by the government. The highway bridge will be about 8.77 kilometers long and meet China's highest highway quality standards, allowing for average travel speeds of 60 kilometers per hour. Ji'an, in the southeast of Jilin Province, is one of the biggest three border crossings between China and North Korea.