China says Xi Jinping met with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

While trade between Beijing and Pyongyang has plummeted, China is North Korea’s only major ally. China has been eager to assert its importance in the process of lowering tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese media had earlier shown images of an airplane normally used by North Korean VIPs flying out of Dalian, fuelling speculation that Kim had been in town. Xi said he was willing to meet Kim again to make joint efforts to have a healthy bilateral relationship, achieve peace on the Korean peninsula and promote regional stability, Xinhua said.

Kim travelled to Beijing by train in March for his maiden official trip abroad and met Xi for the first time since taking power in 2011. His trip was kept secret until he returned to North Korea.