Speculation that Kim Jong Un visited Beijing on his first-ever foreign trip as North Korea’s leader was rife after Japanese media reported the arrival and departure of a special train met by an honour guard. Heightened security at possible venues for a high-level meeting, motorcades driven under
Beijing (AFP) – Speculation that Kim Jong Un visited Beijing on his first-ever foreign trip as North Korea’s leader was rife after Japanese media reported the arrival and departure of a special train met by an honour guard.
Heightened security at possible venues for a high-level meeting, motorcades driven under police escort, and a non-denial from Chinese authorities Tuesday also fuelled the belief that Kim had come to pay his respects to President Xi Jinping.
If confirmed, it would mark Kim’s first trip abroad since coming to power in 2011 and signal an intriguing twist in a rapid diplomatic thaw that has opened the door to plans for separate summits between Kim and the presidents of South Korea and the United States.
Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported the train’s departure from a Beijing station on Tuesday but said it was not clear if Kim was aboard, a day after its arrival sparked rampant speculation about the mystery passenger’s identity.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying sidestepped a request to confirm if Kim or another high-level North Korean official was visiting, saying she was “not aware” of the situation.
“If we have information, we will publish it,” Hua said, while adding that China was willing to work with North Korea to “continue to play a positive and constructive role in order to realise the denuclearisation of the peninsula”.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters in Washington that she could not confirm or deny reports of a Kim visit to China, as the US readies for a possible summit between President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader in May.
