A senior Chinese official who recently held talks with North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, ruled out the possibility of a visit by Kim to Beijing next year, a South Korean lawmaker said Wednesday after meeting with the Chinese official.

Liu Yunshan, the fifth-ranked official of the Chinese Communist Party hierarchy, made the remarks during a meeting with a group of South Korean lawmakers in Beijing earlier in the day, said Rep. Suh Chung-won of South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party.

Since Liu attended a key North Korean anniversary and met with Kim, many analysts have expected political ties between North Korea and China to warm up.

Some media reports in South Korea and Japan raised speculations that Kim may visit Beijing in the first half of next year.

Asked about the media reports, Liu replied that such speculations were "reported by foreign media, but were they reported in Chinese and North Korean media?"

Liu also told Suh that his visit to North Korea was aimed at making progress in bilateral relations with the North.

Chinese officials have privately said Kim may not visit Beijing unless North Korea shows signs of giving up its nuclear weapons program.

Before meeting Liu, Suh also met with Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui, who also ruled out the possibility of a visit by Kim to Beijing early next year, according to Suh. (Yonhap)