China's Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Dai Bing speaks during the 11th emergency special session of the General Assembly on Ukraine, at U.N. headquarters in New York, Feb. 23, 2023. AFP-Yonhap

China is preparing to appoint Dai Bing, its deputy representative to the United Nations, as its new envoy to Korea, a move diplomatic analysts see as Beijing's latest effort to repair its strained relationship with Seoul.

According to sources, Thursday, the Chinese government is in the final stages of confirming Dai's nomination, which may be announced as early as this week. Once the nomination is formalized, the appointment will proceed to the "agrement" stage for formal approval from the Korean government.

If confirmed, Dai, 57, will succeed Xing Haiming, who left his post in July.

A career diplomat with nearly three decades of experience since 1995, Dai has held posts in Singapore and South Africa and has served as China's deputy permanent representative to the U.N. since 2020.

Diplomatic analysts see Dai's appointment as a signal that Beijing is looking to recalibrate its approach to Korea. Bilateral relations have been strained in recent years, with China perceiving Korea's alignment with U.S.-led initiatives as part of a strategy to encircle Beijing.

“Dai's rank falls between a director-general and a deputy minister, positioning him slightly higher than his predecessor Xing. More important than his rank, however, is his diplomatic experience,” said Park Seung-chan, a professor of Chinese studies at Yongin University.

“He has played a critical role in expanding China's presence in the Global South and is considered a seasoned diplomat with significant global experience.”

Although Dai is not a specialist in Korean Peninsula affairs, his work at the U.N. and experience in multilateral diplomacy suggest a strategic choice by Beijing to strengthen ties with Seoul, Park added.

Dai's appointment comes at a sensitive time as tensions between Washington and Beijing are expected to escalate with Donald Trump's return to the White House next year.

Trump is expected to adopt a more hawkish stance on China than he did during his first term, reigniting trade wars and security confrontations. Analysts anticipate Trump may leverage the Seoul-Washington-Tokyo trilateral framework to increase pressure on Beijing.

In response, China appears to be extending conciliatory gestures preemptively toward Korea, seen as the weakest link in the three-way partnership.

In recent developments, China has also announced a new visa waiver for short-term Korean visitors, along with those from eight other nations, effective through the end of next year.

Under the new policy, which took effect on Nov. 8, Korean nationals can enter China visa-free for up to 15 days for purposes such as tourism, business, family visits and transit. This marks the first time Beijing has extended visa-free entry to Koreans since establishing diplomatic ties in 1992.

Tourists visit the Forbidden City in Beijing, Oct. 7. AP-Yonhap

Chung Jae-heung, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute, commented that Dai's appointment could have broader implications beyond bilateral relations.

“The appointment of a U.N. deputy representative — an expert in multilateral diplomacy — as its ambassador to Korea could suggest that China is seeking to approach Korean Peninsula affairs from a global perspective. With Pyongyang-Moscow ties growing and U.S.-China rivalry intensifying, Korea-China relations and inter-Korean issues are no longer China's only focus with Seoul,” Chung commented.

Chung also advised caution in viewing China's visa waiver too optimistically, as Korea was one of nine countries granted the exemption. The decision appears largely aimed at boosting tourism amid an economic slowdown.

"I would caution against interpreting every aspect of China's decision as merely a symbolic diplomatic gesture, as this may overlook the substantive elements of its broader diplomatic strategy,” he said.

Dai's appointment follows Seoul's recent appointment of Kim Dae-ki, former presidential chief of staff, as its new ambassador to China in October.

Known as a close confidant of President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim's appointment was seen as a strategic step toward mending bilateral relations. Once the agrement process is finalized, Kim will succeed Chung Jae-ho, who was appointed in August 2022 as Yoon's first top envoy to Beijing.

Regarding Dai's potential appointment, Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "There is nothing to confirm at this point." The Chinese Embassy in Seoul also refrained from commenting.