Kim returns to North Korea after secretive trip to China
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) - North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il has ended a visit to China, during which he held talks with President Hu Jintao. On Wednesday morning, a train believed to be carrying Kim Jong-il crossed into North Korea from the Chinese border city of Dandong. Today the official KCNA news agency said Kim was in China for eight days and visited central and southern China. It was the first official confirmation of the trip, which had been widely reported by foreign media, but kept secret by the Chinese until today.
China is a key ally of North Korea's, and has often been instrumental in pushing Pyongyang to engage itself in the six party talks on its nuclear program. The visit raises hopes of stopping North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and resuming talks which have been stalled for months.
Soon after Mr Kim left China, Christopher Hill, the chief US negotiator on North Korea made an unexpected trip to Beijing. Mr. Hill is due to meet China's Vice Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi.
Foreign reports said Kim visited Shanghai and Guangdong, the two most successful economic hubs in China. Analysts say Kim is looking for investments from China to help the disastrous economic situation in his country. At the same time he is trying to extract from China ideas for economic reform in the Stalinist state.
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