AKIPRESS.COM - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to denuclearize and meet U.S. officials, China said on Wednesday after a historic meeting with President Xi Jinping, who promised China would uphold its friendship with its isolated neighbor, Reuters reported.

After two days of speculation, China and North Korea both confirmed that Kim had visited Beijing and met Xi during what China's Foreign Ministry called an unofficial visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday.

The China visit was Kim's first known trip outside North Korea since he assumed power in 2011 and is believed by analysts to serve as preparation for upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States.

North Korea's KCNA news agency made no mention of Kim's pledge to denuclearize, or his anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump that is planned for some time in May.

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