**Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is spending a second day in North Korea in a visit regional neighbours hope will help restart stalled nuclear talks.**The importance of Mr Wen’s visit was underlined when he was met on arrival on Sunday by leader Kim Jong-il.
Mr Wen then met Premier Kim Yong-Il, who said Pyongyang had not abandoned denuclearisation and was open to “bilateral and multilateral dialogue”.
But there was no solid commitment to rejoin the multilateral talks.
China says Mr Wen’s three-day visit is to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, but it is being keenly watched for progress on the nuclear issue.
North Korea withdrew from six-party talks - which also involve China, the US, Japan, Russia and South Korea - in April and conducted its second nuclear test in May, raising regional tensions.
But in recent weeks it has issued more conciliatory statements, suggesting it could resume negotiations.
Warm welcome
On Sunday the two countries signed a series of co-operation deals, Chinese state media reported.
Top leader Kim Jong-Il later accompanied Mr Wen to a Korean opera, Xinhua news agency said, where the two held “friendly talks”.
More discussions between the two are expected on Monday, media reports suggest.
Mr Wen is being accompanied on his visit by China’s foreign minister and Beijing’s delegate to the six-party talks.
China hosts the six-party talks, is North Korea’s biggest trading partner and holds the greatest sway over the communist regime.