Reports: Jong Il visits China

Media reports have confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has visited China.

He met Chinese President Hu Jintao in the north-east of the country.

Kim said he remained committed to the de-nuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and that he hoped for an early resumption of talks on North Korea’s nuclear programme.

Analysts believe the trip may have been to line-up Beijing behind Kim’s plans to anoint his youngest son as the state's next leader.