A North Korean soldier guards the gate on banks of the Yalu River, north of Sinuiju, North Korea. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj As North Korea ramps up its ballistic missile and nuclear testing programs, the world is watching the isolated peninsula with trepidation.

Days after the US deployed a naval strike group to the region, China reportedly sent 150,000 troops to the border in the face of increasing aggression from North Korea.

China has long been the sole major ally and trading partner of the reclusive nation, but heightened tension has resulted in an economic slowdown in relations.

Nowhere is this slowdown more apparent than on the 880-mile long border between the two countries. Although trade continues, half-finished buildings and an eerie sense of abandonment showcase the strained ties.

Reuters photographers visited the Chinese city of Dandong on the border to see how the area has been affected, and the photos are fascinating.