North Korea's Kim makes surprise visit to China

Kim Jong Un is visiting China for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean state media reported Tuesday.

The North Korean leader "is to visit China on Jan. 7-10... at the invitation of Xi Jinping", the official Korean Central News Agency said.

Beijing is isolated, nuclear-armed Pyongyang's key diplomatic ally and main source of trade and aid, and Kim visited three times last year to pay his respects to the Chinese leader.