China and North Korea exchanged messages of goodwill today during a visit to Pyongyang by the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao which diplomats hope could see an easing of regional tensions.

The three-day visit, which began yesterday when Mr Wen was greeted with a hug from North Korea's Dear Leader at Pyongyang airport, marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two allies.

Officially it will focus on subjects such as trade and education but the hope in the West is that Mr Wen could help nudge the pariah state towards a resumption of negotiations on its nuclear programme.

In a message to mark the anniversary, China congratulated its ally: “History demonstrates that developing China-North Korea relations is in keeping with the fundamental interests and shared wishes of both countries’ people."

In their reply, Mr Kim and other North Korean leaders said that relations would “constantly consolidate and develop”, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

Mr Wen's visit appeared to end one of the worst periods in relations between East Asia’s two nuclear powers.

The countries — once described by Mao Zedong as being “as close as lips and teeth” — have had frosty relations since April, when North Korea launched an intercontinental rocket, which was followed in May by an underground nuclear test. China ended support for its long-time ally and backed condemnation and sanctions by the UN Security Council.

The visit by China’s second most senior leader suggests that differences have been overcome and North Korea is ready to resume some kind of negotiations, after abandoning Chinese-sponsored disarmament talks in April.

“Respectable comrade Wen Jiabao’s visit to our country at this time has huge meaning in its historical timing and political significance,” a commentary in North Korea’s state run Workers’ Newspaper said.

Analysts do not expect Mr Wen’s visit to yield more than opaque promises from Pyongyang on the nuclear dispute.

"I think the chances of real progress are small,” said Zhang Liangui, an expert on North Korea at the Central Party School, an influential state institute in Beijing. "Through visits like this, North Korea is mostly trying to create the impression that other countries respect it and heed it, that it’s a world power. Of course, that’s not true, but the impression helps its leader bolster his authority.”

Fresh reports on the the detention of North Korean ships only served to underline tensions, however.

South Korea’s Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported today that South Korean authorities had seized four cargo containers belonging to North Korea under UN sanctions imposed in response to its missile and nuclear tests.

The reported seizure of the North’s cargo would be the first by Seoul under the UN resolution passed in June. South Korea’s spy agency and maritime police made no comment on the report.

On Friday, Indian warships detained a North Korean cargo ship after it dropped anchor in Indian waters without permission. An Indian navy spokesman said nothing incriminating was found.

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