FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Despite not revealing the reason for his visit to China, Mr Rodman said: “There is a possibility of visiting North Korea soon after Beijing." However, yesterday he also tweeted: “Great week of humanitarian work in Guam and Tokyo, Japan now just got to Beijing..Guess what’s next? #Peace #Love #NotWar” Moreover, attached to the tweet was a picture of Rodman wearing a shirt with the word “unite” written underneath images of him, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. The ex-athlete has traveled to North Korea at least five times this year and has served as a gateway to the international community and Pyongyang.

GETTY Dennis Rodman will visit North Korea

News of a sixth visit to North Korea has prompted speculation over whether Mr Rodman will try to improve diplomatic relations between Pyongyang and Washington, especially as he is a mutual friend of both Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. The retired basketball player was on Trump's show Celebrity Apprentice in 2009 and 2013. He also tweeted his support for the Republican's presidential campaign in 2015.

North Korea celebrates latest missile launch and Kim Jong-un visits a flour factory Wed, December 6, 2017 Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 9 North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is seen during the inspection of a potato flour factory in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang

However, he has also before spoken of how he enjoys hanging out with his friend Kim Jong-un when he visits North Korea. Earlier this year, Mr Rodman, in an interview on Good Morning Britain told host Piers Morgan: “For me to go over there and see [Kim] as much as I have, I basically hang out with him all the time. “We laugh, we sing karaoke, we do a lot of cool things together.

GETTY Dennis Rodman has said he enjoys hanging out with his friend Kim Jong-un

“We ride horses, we hang out, we go skiing, we hardly ever talk politics and that's the good thing.” In the interview, he also said he would like to “straighten things out” between enemy nations North Korea and the US. News of Rodman potentially meeting with Kim Jong-un has come after the dictator hinted at boosting North Korea's nuclear arsenal in his latest threat to trigger World War 3.

The reclusive dictator earlier this week vowed to "complete the state's nuclear force", describing it as a "great historic cause". He made the comments to top North Korean military officials after reportedly climbing the hermit state's tallest mountain. Pyongyang's state media released an image of the despot at the top of Mount Paektu, which is considered a sacred site in Korea.

Trump's North Korea strategy to trigger FAMINE? Sat, December 9, 2017 US sanctions may do little to curb North Korea's nuclear missile program, experts warn Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 9 The North Korean leader inspects the newly-built Samjiyon potato farina production factory