A Japanese newspaper says China will invite Kim Jong-un, the successor and third son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, to visit Beijing.

The Yomiuri Shimbun said China appears to be ready to fully support Kim Jong-un’s leadership and will reaffirm its long-time alliance with North Korea by inviting the junior Kim at an early date.

The daily also predicted that Chinese President Hu Jintao will send a condolence delegation comprising members of the Communist Party to North Korea after the North’s memorial ceremony for the late leader ends.

The Chinese delegation will likely be headed by Li Yuanchao, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. The delegation is expected to deliver Beijing’s plan to offer food aid to North Korea and ask Kim Jong-un to visit China as soon as possible.