As dawn breaks over the Yalu River, the Weihao Farmers Market in Dandong, China's largest border city in Liaoning province, is already coming alive with the bustle of early-morning trade.
The air is filled with the salty smell of fresh seafood, the earthy aroma of just-harvested vegetables, and the constant hum of morning trade.
Alongside piles of bright red Dandong strawberries and baskets of fresh yellow clams are neatly packaged pollack and specialty foods imported from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea located across the river.
Liu Jianqiao
The scene offers a vivid glimpse into the close economic and cultural ties that continue to shape everyday life along the border.
