China has strongly protested a joint statement issued after a summit between South Korea and the U.S. that stressed the importance of keeping peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called on the United States and South Korea to understand the reality of the Taiwan issue clearly and respect the One China policy.

The spokesperson also urged Seoul and Washington to be careful in words and actions on the issue and not to take the wrong and dangerous path. 

Mao then stressed that the Taiwan issue is purely China's internal affair and Taiwan is at the core of China's core interests, adding the resolution of Taiwan is a matter for Chinese people and intervention by external forces is unacceptable. 

In a joint statement issued after a summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday, the leaders reiterated the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the region. 

They also strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific, including through unlawful maritime claims, the militarization of reclaimed features, and coercive activities.