BEIJING, March 17 (NNN-Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is likely to visit China later this month, a trip that could boost the prospect of resuming international talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs.

"Considering the schedules of top Chinese leaders, there is a high possibility of Chairman Kim visiting China sometime between March 25-30," a diplomatic source said on condition of anonymity, referring to Kim's official title, chairman of the National Defense Commission.

A senior South Korean politician, who wants to visit China late this month for a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao, is expected to put the plan off, possibly because of Kim's trip, the source said. When the North's leader has visited China in the past, Beijing made sure that the schedule of its top leader did not overlap with other schedules.

In particular, top Chinese Communist Party official Wang Jiarui does not have any plan to travel overseas for the rest of this month. Wang, who met with the North's leader during a trip to Pyongyang last month, is expected to take care of protocol if Kim visits Beijing.

China's Vice President Xi Jinping, who will begin a trip to Russia, Belarus, Finland and Sweden on Saturday, is scheduled to return home late this month, probably for a meeting with the North's leader.

Foreign dignitaries visiting China this month include Afghanistan's president from March 23-25, New Zealand's foreign minister from March 23-25 and Malta's deputy prime minister from March 23-26.

If realized, Kim's trip is expected to raise the prospects of reopening six-nation nuclear talks. Analysts have said that such a visit could be a strong sign that the North is ready to return to the negotiating table, possibly in exchange for badly needed economic aid from the neighboring ally.

The North's return to the talks would also lift China's diplomatic profile as host of the negotiations.

Kim rarely travels aboard, and there have been rumors that he fears flying. Neighboring China and Russia, accessible by Kim's luxurious armored train, have been his only foreign destinations in many years.

Kim's previous visits to China were made in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2006. -- NNN-Yonhap