China's premier in North Korea

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in North Korea Sunday, sparking expectations six-party talks about Pyongyang's nuclear program might resume, officials said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was at Sunan Airport to greet Wen, the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Pyongyang since Chinese President Hu Jintao traveled there in 2005, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

Wen's visit officially marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and North Korea. China is North Korea's biggest trading partner and donor.

Diplomatic sources said North Korea was likely to make an important announcement at the end of Wen's visit, possibly about the revival of six-party nuclear disarmament talks halted by North Korea earlier this year, Yonhap reported.

Kim last month suggested the standoff could be resolved through "bilateral or multilateral talks." The parties in the disarmament talks included the Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.