China's nuke envoy to visit S. Korea next week

China's top nuclear envoy will visit South Korea next week to discuss North Korea's nuclear provocations and the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system here, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.

During a five-day stay here that starts on Monday, Wu Dawei will hold a series of meetings with his South Korean counterpart Kim Hong-kyun including the North's imminent nuke test and other issues, according to the ministry.

The meeting between the chief nuclear envoys from South Korea and China came in four months after they met in Beijing in December.

Tensions run high amid speculation that the North may carry out a major provocation including an additional nuclear test in time for the Trump-Xi meetings scheduled for Thursday and Friday at the U.S. leader's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

China's top nuclear envoy may also deliver his country's opposition to the installation of the missile defense system, called the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) here.

Last year, South Korea decided to host the THAAD on its soil despite China's fierce opposition. Relations between them have since deteriorated as China launched retaliatory measures by turning back imports from South Korea, ordering the suspension of South Korean businesses in China, and canceling cultural and entertainment events.

The Chinese officials are said to have a plan to meet with presidential hopefuls here, diplomatic sources said. (Yonhap)