China confirms Kim Jong-un returned for meetings with Xi Jinping

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a northern Chinese port city and pledged his continuing commitment to denuclearization ahead of his expected summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, state media said Tuesday.

The meeting Monday and Tuesday in Dalian marks the second between Xi and Kim in recent weeks, following Kim's March visit to Beijing — his first since taking power six years ago.

In comments carried Tuesday night by Chinese state media, neither leader was quoted as directly referring to either the planned Trump meeting or Kim's summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in late last month.

However, state broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as saying China "supports North Korea to stick to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and supports North Korea and the U.S. in solving the peninsula issue through dialogue and consultation."

Kim was quoted as telling Xi that North Korea remains committed to denuclearization and has no need to possess nuclear weapons if a "relevant party" drops its "hostile policy and security threats" against it, in a clear reference to the United States.

"I hope to build mutual trust with the U.S. through dialogue," Kim was quoted as saying. A political resolution of tensions on the peninsula and denuclearization should proceed in stages, with all sides moving in concert, he said.

Trade pressures

The Kim-Xi meeting was the top news story in North Korea, with famous television announcer Ri Chun Hui again called out of her semi-retirement to report the event, underscoring its importance. Ri, wearing a traditional Korean-style dress, often smiled as she reported the news.

The report, which lasted about 20 minutes, did not show any photos or video of the visit.

Kim was accompanied by his younger sister, who has taken on an increasingly public role as the North Korean leader has tried to present a "softer" face to the outside world.

Trump and Jinping spoke by phone after the Chinese and North Korean leaders met. They agreed it was important to continue sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs until it permanently dismantles them, the White House said in a statement.

The Trump administration has demanded that North Korea immediately commit to denuclearization. North Korea has long pushed for the removal of American troops stationed in South Korea, but South Korea last week said the issue was separate from that of nuclearization.

Xi hosted a welcome banquet for Kim and the two leaders strolled along the coastline at a government guesthouse and had lunch together on Tuesday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

"At a crucial time when the regional situation is developing rapidly, Kim said he came to China again to meet with [Xi] and inform him of the situation," Xinhua said.

CCTV showed Xi wearing a western business suit and Kim in his standard high-collared Mao suit. They stood on a beach, sat under an awning on an outdoor deck, strolled through lush gardens and sat at a conference table.

"In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries had an all-round and in-depth exchange of views on China-DPRK relations and major issues of common concern," Xinhua said, using the initials for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

China is North Korea's only major ally, although trade has plummeted in recent months as Beijing enforces United Nations economic sanctions in response to the North's nuclear bomb and ballistic missile tests.

China has also been eager to assert its importance in the process of lowering tensions on the Korean Peninsula. It has called for a halt to weapons tests and large-scale military exercises and a return to six-nation denuclearization talks it previously hosted in Beijing.

It was not known how long the Xi-Kim meeting had been planned or why Dalian was chosen. Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper cited two unidentified sources as saying that Xi had flown to Dalian on the coast east of Beijing to preside over the official launch of sea trials for China's first entirely self-built aircraft carrier.

Chinese internet users posting on social media described heavy security in the city and extensive flight delays on Monday. Others said they spotted a set of Red Flag limousines used by state leaders.

As with Kim's March visit to Beijing, his presence in Dalian was not officially confirmed until he had left China. Reports said his jet flew out of Dalian airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Trump said last week a date and location for his summit with Kim had been set, without revealing any details. It has been speculated that the meeting would take place later this month or in June.

North Korea's media still have not explicitly confirmed the expected summit with Trump.