Kim Begins Third Visit To China

Beijing, June 19 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is on a two-day visit to China from Tuesday, his third such trip to the country since March this year.

Kim's visit, announced by the Chinese state media, comes just a week after his historic meet with US Donald Trump in Singapore where the two leaders pledged to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula.

North Korean leader's last visit to China was in May in the city of Dalian where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping in the run-up to his meet with Trump.

China is North Korea's sole ally and is said to have leverage over its neighbour in dealing with the US.

The development also comes amid the fraying trade ties between the US and China with both countries almost ready to slap tariffs worth billions on each other's goods.

Although details of his visit were not immediately clear, Kim is sure to meet Xi and discuss his meeting with Trump.

In the unprecedented summit between a serving US President and a North Korean leader in Singapore, the two decided to leave the acrimonious past behind and pledge to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula.

Even if China was not directly involved in the Kim-Trump rendezvous, it still remains a key play player in the talks.