The vice foreign ministers of South Korea and China plan to hold talks Tuesday in Seoul as tension prevails over the differences on U.S. missile defense assets and how to punish North Korea for its recent nuclear and missile tests.

Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will host his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui in the Strategic Dialogue, during which they will explore bilateral, peninsular, regional and global issues, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said. 

“In particular, the two sides are expected to focus on responses to North Korea’s nuclear experiment and long-range missile launch, following a phone call between their leaders and foreign ministers’ consultations,” the ministry said in a statement.

Zhang is the first high-level Chinese official to travel to Seoul in the wake of Pyongyang’s latest provocations. 

With the U.N. Security Council working on fresh sanctions, Lim is predicted to appeal for China’s endorsement of what Seoul calls a “terminating resolution.”

But the meeting faces dismal prospects given Beijing’s steadfast opposition and calls for dialogue rather than “tension-provoking” steps. Zhang, for his part, would likely spend more time lodging a complaint once again against South Korea’s announcement on Feb. 7 of formal talks with the U.S. on the stationing of a battery of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system on the peninsula.

The decision prompted a stringent reaction from China, which deems the equipment to be part of a U.S.-led global missile defense program directed at it.

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry called in the South Korean ambassador to voice its protest, and Minister Wang Yi expressed “grave concerns” that THAAD will “damage” its strategic security interests during a press interview, a security conference in Munich and separate talks with his South Korean and U.S. counterparts over the weekend.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)