North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, currently on a highly secretive visit to China, is reportedly planning to visit major industrial cities in China’s southern region from Friday.

Kim is believed to be heading to the city of Guangzhou first, to be followed by stops in Shenzhen and Shanghai.

According to a Hong Kong TV network on Thursday, a dozen cars believed to be carrying Kim’s delegation arrived at a hotel in Guangzhou on Thursday afternoon. Around eight-hundred-40 rooms in the hotel have been booked for 15 days, raising speculation that the reclusive leader may be staying at the facility.

Kim's actual itinerary in China has been unclear thus far, with previous reports placing him in Shanghai earlier in the week.

His visit around the industrial cities will reportedly last throughout the weekend.