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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Chinese premier meets NK leader | Chinese premier meets NK leader |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has held rare talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, official Chinese media report. | Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has held rare talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, official Chinese media report. |
| Mr Wen, who will spend three days in Pyongyang, was greeted at the airport by Mr Kim when he arrived. | Mr Wen, who will spend three days in Pyongyang, was greeted at the airport by Mr Kim when he arrived. |
| No details were given of the talks, held later in the day, but the visit was expected to focus on the reclusive nation's nuclear ambitions. | |
| Regional neighbours and the US hope the visit will help persuade the North to return to six-party nuclear talks. | |
| North Korea withdrew from the talks in April and conducted a second nuclear test in May, raising regional tensions. | North Korea withdrew from the talks in April and conducted a second nuclear test in May, raising regional tensions. |
| China's foreign minister and Beijing's delegate to the six-party talks are accompanying Mr Wen on what state media called the "goodwill visit". | China's foreign minister and Beijing's delegate to the six-party talks are accompanying Mr Wen on what state media called the "goodwill visit". |
| 'Resolve problems' | 'Resolve problems' |
| Video footage of Mr Wen's arrival showed a welcome ceremony and him leaving the airport in a limousine motorcade. | |
| NUCLEAR CRISIS Oct 2006 - North Korea conducts an underground nuclear testFeb 2007 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for fuel aidJune 2007 - North Korea shuts its main Yongbyon reactorJune 2008 - North Korea makes its long-awaited declaration of nuclear assetsOct 2008 - The US removes North Korea from its list of countries which sponsor terrorismDec 2008 - Pyongyang slows work to dismantle its nuclear programme after a US decision to suspend energy aidJan 2009 - The North says it is scrapping all military and political deals with the South, accusing it of "hostile intent"April 2009 - Pyongyang launches a rocket carrying what it says is a communications satellite25 May 2009 - North Korea conducts a second nuclear test | NUCLEAR CRISIS Oct 2006 - North Korea conducts an underground nuclear testFeb 2007 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for fuel aidJune 2007 - North Korea shuts its main Yongbyon reactorJune 2008 - North Korea makes its long-awaited declaration of nuclear assetsOct 2008 - The US removes North Korea from its list of countries which sponsor terrorismDec 2008 - Pyongyang slows work to dismantle its nuclear programme after a US decision to suspend energy aidJan 2009 - The North says it is scrapping all military and political deals with the South, accusing it of "hostile intent"April 2009 - Pyongyang launches a rocket carrying what it says is a communications satellite25 May 2009 - North Korea conducts a second nuclear test |
| Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the two leaders later held talks, but gave no details. | |
| Correspondents say Mr Kim has been suffering from a serious illness and rarely greets visiting dignitaries, so these two appearances are an indication of how seriously North Korea takes its relationship with China. | |
| China hosts the six-party talks, which also involve the US, South Korea, Japan and Russia. | |
| It is North Korea's biggest trading partner and holds the greatest sway over the communist regime - which has in recent weeks indicated it could resume stalled talks. | It is North Korea's biggest trading partner and holds the greatest sway over the communist regime - which has in recent weeks indicated it could resume stalled talks. |
| Last month, Chinese state media reported that Mr Kim had told a visiting Chinese envoy he was willing to hold dialogue on the nuclear issue and "resolve the relevant problems through bilateral and multilateral talks". | Last month, Chinese state media reported that Mr Kim had told a visiting Chinese envoy he was willing to hold dialogue on the nuclear issue and "resolve the relevant problems through bilateral and multilateral talks". |
| Pyongyang has long sought direct talks with the US - which had until recently said negotiation should be via the six-party structure. | Pyongyang has long sought direct talks with the US - which had until recently said negotiation should be via the six-party structure. |
| Washington now appears to have modified its stance on bilateral talks somewhat in the hope of bringing North Korea back to the multilateral forum. | Washington now appears to have modified its stance on bilateral talks somewhat in the hope of bringing North Korea back to the multilateral forum. |
| North Korea agreed in February 2007 to abandon its nuclear programme in return for aid and political concessions | North Korea agreed in February 2007 to abandon its nuclear programme in return for aid and political concessions |
| It shut down its main reactor at Yongbyon in June 2007, but talks then became deadlocked over the issue of how its declaration of nuclear assets could be verified by its negotiating partners. | It shut down its main reactor at Yongbyon in June 2007, but talks then became deadlocked over the issue of how its declaration of nuclear assets could be verified by its negotiating partners. |
| Pyongyang then grew more belligerent, carrying out what its neighbours believe was a long-range missile test and then its second nuclear test. | Pyongyang then grew more belligerent, carrying out what its neighbours believe was a long-range missile test and then its second nuclear test. |