BEIJING: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and other senior leaders on Wednesday visited the North Korean embassy in Beijing to offer their condolences on the death of Kim Jong-Il, the official Xinhua news agency said.
North Korea's official media announced on Monday that Kim, who suffered a stroke in 2008 but had appeared to recover, had died of a heart attack at the age of 69 and that his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un, would succeed him.
Vice Premier Li Keqiang, who is expected to succeed Wen in a once-in-a-decade transition of power that begins next year, was part of the delegation to visit the embassy.
President Hu Jintao personally offered his condolences on Tuesday, along with dozens of sombre-looking North Koreans clutching bunches of white chrysanthemums, traditionally considered a flower of mourning.
Beijing, Pyongyang's closest ally and major economic partner, has thrown its backing behind Kim Jong-Un, the third son of Kim Jong-Il, as it seeks to ensure a smooth power transition in its nuclear-armed neighbour.
China is keen to avoid a potentially destabilising power struggle in the Stalinist regime that could lead to a flood of North Korean refugees across its border or more military confrontations like those that rattled Asia last year.
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