North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong-il, reportedly arrived in China yesterday in a rare trip that has prompted speculation he is seeking to rescue his country's moribund economy and ease tensions over the sinking of a South Korean warship.
China could also be making another attempt to persuade Mr Kim to return to international talks on dismantling his country's nuclear weapons, as political tensions on the Korean peninsula rise. Seoul's military officials are demanding retribution for the sinking of a warship in March, in a suspected North Korean torpedo attack that killed 46 sailors.
A large North Korean delegation was spotted yesterday entering the Furama Hotel in Dalian, a port in north-east China. The hotel would not comment beyond saying it was booked up for two days.