The U.S. State Department has characterized the Washington Declaration adopted last week by the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. as a step to strengthen deterrence against North Korea.

Vedant Patel, State Department deputy spokesperson, made the remarks in a press briefing when asked to comment on the North's criticism of the declaration, which highlights the U.S.'s enhanced commitment to its extended deterrence for South Korea.

Patel said that President Joe Biden believes that the North's efforts to advance its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, as well as its destabilizing and dangerous rhetoric, require a series of prudent steps to strengthen deterrence as enumerated in the declaration.

The spokesperson said that as the declaration states, President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol remain steadfast in their pursuit of dialogue and diplomacy with Pyongyang, adding that the allies have the shared goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Asked why China is criticizing the declaration despite receiving an advance briefing from the U.S., the spokesperson refused to elaborate on the U.S.' diplomatic activities or its methods of notice or engagement with other countries.

Patel said that the U.S. relationship and alliance with South Korea is deep-rooted, with the allies celebrating the 70th anniversary of relations last week with Yoon's state visit, as he called on China not to overreact.