Donald Trump hails progress with Kim Jong-un as North Korean leader's trip to China confirmed

Donald Trump said he is looking forward to meeting Kim Jong-un after the North Korean leader used a surprise trip to Beijing to affirm his commitment to discussing its nuclear weapons programme.

Officials confirmed late last night that Mr Kim travelled abroad for the first time since becoming leader for talks with President Xi Jinping of China this week, where he reiterated his willingness to meet Mr Trump and discuss denuclearisation.

In early morning tweets, sent at 6am in Washington, Mr Trump said that a winding down of tensions on the Korean peninsula was underway ahead of a formal summit but stood firm on sanctions against the Kim regime.

He said: "For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!

He added: "Received message last night from XI JINPING of China that his meeting with KIM JONG UN went very well and that KIM looks forward to his meeting with me. In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!

After two days of speculation, China and North Korea late last night confirmed Mr Kim had travelled to Beijing to meet Mr Xi, with both sides seeking to portray strong ties.

The North Korean leader's trip - his first journey outside of the contry since taking power and his first reported meeting with a foreign head of state - lasted from Sunday to Wednesday, the official Xinhua news agency reported. 

Mr Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju were met with honour guards and a lavish banquet hosted by Mr Xi, according to state media. The two men held talks at the imposing Great Hall of the People during which they hailed their nations' historic relations.

The North Korean leader told Mr Xi his nuclear-armed regime was "committed to denuclearisation".

"The issue of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace," Mr Kim said during his visit.

Mr Kim also confirmed he was willing to hold a summit with the US, the first official comment on the proposed talks.

"The DPRK is willing to have dialogue with the United States and hold a summit of the two countries," Xinhua cited Mr Kim as saying.

South Korea announced earlier this month that Mr Kim had offered to meet US President Donald Trump but Pyongyang had not officially confirmed or denied the proposed summit.

China briefed Mr Trump on Tuesday about on the visit, and the communication included a personal message from Mr Xi to the US president, the White House 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," the statement said.

Mr Xi had also accepted an invitation from Mr Kim to visit North Korea, South Korea's news agency Yonhap said.

Mr Kim is due to hold separate summits with China's rivals, South Korea and the United States, and analysts said the visit to Beijing was believed to be preparation for those.

Beijing has traditionally been the closest ally of secretive and isolated North Korea, but ties have been frayed by North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and China's backing of tough UN sanctions in response.

Analysts had earlier suggested Beijing had been sidelined by Pyongyang's approaches to Seoul and Washington, but Mr Kim's visit means China has reclaimed its leading role on the world stage.

Deng Yuwen, an independent Chinese international relations scholar, said North Korea needed to turn to its old ally ahead of the US summit, as Kim will be sceptical that Mr Trump will guarantee the security of his regime.

"North Korea needs the big brother to protect it at a crucial moment," Deng told AFP.

Both leaders stressed the strength of their countries' ties.

"Both Comrade Chairman and I have personally experienced and witnessed the development of China-DPRK relationship," Mr Xi said, using the initials for North Korea's official name.

"This is a strategic choice and the only right choice both sides have made based on history and reality.... This should not and will not change because of any single event at a particular time," Mr Xi said.

Mr Kim also reaffirmed the strength of the countries' ties.

"There is no question that my first foreign visit is to the Chinese capital," Pyongyang's official news agency KCNA reported.

"This is my solemn duty as someone who should value and continue the DPRK-PRC relations through generations," he added using the countries' official acronyms.

Mr Kim had not met Mr Xi since the young North Korean leader took over after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

Speculation had been rife in recent days that the North Korean leader had travelled to China. 

After a dark green armoured train was spotted rolling through Beijing's suburbs on Monday, the motorcade was later seen heading towards a location where Mr Xi typically hosts foreign dignitaries.

Mr Kim is set to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April before a proposed  Trump summit in May. 

As diplomatic momentum builds towards the much anticipated meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Kim, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold talks with the US president in April. 

The Japanese leader is finalising details for a summit with Mr  Trump on April 18 to discuss strategy, a ruling party official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The meeting between Mr Abe and the U.S. leader is expected to be held at Trump's Mar-a-Largo retreat in Florida, according to the source.

Kim Jong-un's father, Kim Jong-il, met then-president Jiang Zemin in China in 2000 before a summit between the two Koreas in June that year. That visit was seen at the time as reaffirmation of close ties with Beijing.