U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stressed the importance of cooperation between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) and the U.S' key allies such as South Korea.

According to the U.S. State Department, Secretary Blinken held phone talks on Monday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the centrality of the Transatlantic bond and Alliance unity as NATO addresses existing and emerging global challenges.

The department said in a press release on Monday that Secretary Blinken and Secretary General Stoltenberg underscored the value of NATO's partnerships with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea.

It added that the two sides agreed the new NATO Strategic Concept will be essential to NATO’s continued adaptation over the coming decade. 

The statement appears to have reaffirmed the U.S.' and NATO' commitment to enhancing their cooperation with countries in the Asia-Pacific region to counter China.