The U.S. special envoy on nuclear negotiations with North Korea is scheduled to travel to China on Thursday.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a news briefing Wednesday that Sung Kim will visit China to lay the groundwork for verifying North Korea’s nuclear declaration.

McCormack said Kim is scheduled to meet with North Korean negotiators, adding that it isn’t clear if officials of the U.S., North Korea and China will meet concurrently.

Asked if the removal of North Korea from the U.S. terrorism sponsor list will take place on the expected date of August eleventh, McCormack hinted that the process could be delayed. August eleventh will be the 45th day since President George W. Bush notified Congress of his intention to remove the North from the terrorism blacklist.

Last week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the North’s delisting timetable could be reassessed, suggesting a delay if Pyongyang does not cooperate in verifying its nuclear declaration.