North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrived Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said he couldn't confirm whether Kim was in the country, though he said Hu planned to meet with at least one foreign leader over the next two days. China usually announces visits by the secretive Kim only after he is on his way home. Kim, who rarely ventures abroad, is believed to have crossed into China a week ago, with foreign reporters pursuing him every step of the way. It was his first known trip to his regime's only major ally since 2004. He also made a pair of visits to China in 2001. Kim spent nearly a week in the heart of China's booming south, touring high-tech companies in a possible search for ideas to revive his country's laggard economy, according to South Korean and Hong Kong media.
Pro-Beijing newspapers in Hong Kong reported Monday that Kim's armored train left the southern city of Shenzhen near Hong Kong late Sunday for Beijing and a meeting with Hu. According to Yonhap, Kim's train stopped at a station outside Beijing and he was driven into the capital. The United States has urged Beijing to use its influence to convince Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks. They began in 2003 after the North admitted having nuclear weapons. The talks have been stalled since November, with Pyongyang accusing the United States of a hostile attitude. The talks also include Russia, Japan and South Korea.