A motorcade belonging to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was spotted at a downtown hotel on Thursday night in Jilin, China.

Media outlets are reporting that the motorcade departed from the hotel at around 10:20 p.m. and returned an hour later. However, no photos of the reclusive leader have been obtained, as police have blocked all access to areas in the vicinity of the hotel.

Kim is reportedly scheduled to meet with top Chinese government officials in Jilin on Friday.

Upon his arrival to the city in northeastern Jilin Province on Thursday, Kim was reportedly received by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping.

Observers say that Kim’s visit, which is his second to China in three months, is aimed at securing China’s support for Pyongyang’s planned power succession. The assessment was made given that Kim’s third son and heir-apparent, Jong-un, is reportedly accompanying his father on the trip.