North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a surprise, unofficial visit to Beijing on Sunday, according to multiple reports citing Chinese state media.
Kim reportedly stayed in China through Tuesday on his first visit outside of North Korea since assuming power in 2011.
{mosads}Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly invited Kim to Beijing and the two met multiple times during the visit, according to the Chinese-state controlled Xinhua news agency.
The outlet reports that Kim said he would be open to working with Seoul and Washington on the issue of denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.
“If South Korea and the United States kindly respond to our effort, create an atmosphere of stability and peace, and take gradual, simultaneous steps, the issue of denuclearization on the peninsula can be resolved,” Kim said, according to Xinhua.
The White House said it had been briefed by China about the visit earlier Tuesday.
“The Chinese government contacted the White House earlier on Tuesday to brief us on Kim Jong Un’s visit to Beijing. The briefing included a personal message from President Xi to President Trump, which has been conveyed to President Trump,” press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
“The United States remains in close contact with our allies South Korea and Japan. We see this development as further evidence that our campaign of maximum pressure is creating the appropriate atmosphere for dialogue with North Korea.”
Bloomberg reported on Monday that Kim was thought to have traveled to China’s capital city via train.
The visit comes ahead of planned talks between North Korea and South Korea next month.
The Trump administration announced earlier this month that President Trump had agreed to meet with Kim if the country abandoned its nuclear ambitions.