A White House official said on Tuesday that it is possible for South Korea to enjoy a strong, modernized alliance with the U.S. while having a productive relationship with China.

Edgard Kagan, senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the White House National Security Council(NSC), made the remark during a forum hosted by the Wilson Center, a think tank in Washington.

Kagan said that the U.S. believes that South Korea’s assumption of a greater regional and global role while clarifying its stance in fact makes it easier to have a strong and productive relationship with China.

Reiterating that the U.S. does not see this as a "zero sum game," Kagan said that Washington does not want to be in the position of telling South Korea to do things that are antithetical to its interests.