China said President Xi Jinping has met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a northern Chinese port city.

The meeting, held Monday and Tuesday in Dalian, is the second between the two men in recent weeks, following Kim’s March visit to Beijing, his first since taking power six years ago.

China is North Korea’s only major ally, although trade between them has plummeted in recent months as Beijing enforces United Nations economic sanctions in response to the North’s nuclear bomb and ballistic missile tests.

The meeting between Xi and Kim comes as the North Korean leader prepares to hold a historic summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

China has been eager to assert its importance in the process of lowering tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Source: cnbc china
President Xi Jinping has met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, China says