PEKING -- Top Chinese leaders Deng Xiaoping and Hu Yaobang made an unannounced visit to North Korea in April, the Xinhua News agency reported today.
The secret trip was revealed in Hu's state banquet toast Thursday for visiting North Korean President Kim Il Sung.
No details were given on the trip, believed to be the first to North Korea by Deng, vice chairman of the Communist Party who is regarded as the most powerful leader in China, and Hu, the party chairman.
'Last April, comrade Deng Xiaoping and I visited your beautiful country at the kind invitation of comrade Kim Il Sung,' Hu said.
'We said on that occasion that leaders of our two parties should, as between relatives, frequently visit each other to discuss various matters, exchanging information and give mutual support,' Hu said.
Kim, 70, arrived Thursday for his first visit to China since 1975.
Diplomatic analysts expect his meetings with Chinese leaders will focus on ideological differences, economic assistance, Chinese military sales to North Korea and Peking's support for Kim's 40-year-old son, Kim Il Jong, to succeed his father.
