North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited the Chinese city of Dalian to meet President Xi Jinping, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
The meeting, held Monday and Tuesday in Dalian, is the second between the two men in recent weeks, following Kim’s March visit to Beijing, his first since taking power six years ago.
The two discussed bilateral issues, with Xi telling Kim of his support of talks between North Korea and the United States, Xinhua said.
China is North Korea’s only major ally, although trade between them has plummeted in recent months as Beijing enforces United Nations economic sanctions in response to the North’s nuclear bomb and ballistic missile tests.
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The meeting between Xi and Kim comes as the North Korean leader prepares to hold a historic summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.
China has been eager to assert its importance in the process of lowering tensions on the Korean Peninsula.