Leading Chinese foreign policy maker Yang Jiechi may visit Seoul next week.

Diplomatic sources said Thursday that South Korea and China are discussing the schedule of the visit.

However, South Korea's Foreign Ministry would not confirm the news carried by local media.

A visit by Yang, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, would be expected to spur arrangements for a visit to Seoul this year by Chinese President Xi Jinping and reinforce bilateral cooperation on bringing North Korea back to dialogue.

The development is seen by some as a bid by China to cement relations between the two countries amid rising geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington.