North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is currently in Beijing.

Kim's special train, which departed from Pyongyang Sunday, arrived in the Chinese capital on Monday morning. The North Korean leader will meet with Chinese leaders for talks on resolving the international standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

KBS TV, quoting witnesses, earlier reported that a group of Chinese officials greeted Kim and his 40-member entourage when his train made a brief stop in the Chinese border city of Dandung just across the Yalu River.

The reports said that during his four-day visit, Kim will meet President Hu Jintao and other senior Chinese leaders and reaffirm the traditional close ties between their nations as well as discuss issues of mutual concern, including the nuclear issue.

The visit is Kim's third trip to China since January 2001, when he visited Shanghai's stock exchange and foreign joint-venture companies to inspect changes in China brought about by capitalist-style economic reforms.