The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that it will continue to cooperate with its ally South Korea amid its ongoing diplomatic dispute with China.

Department spokesperson Matthew Miller issued the position in a press briefing when asked to comment on the controversy over Chinese ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming’s recent remarks criticizing Seoul’s foreign policy.

Miller said that he has nothing to say other than that South Korea is a close ally and Washington will continue to cooperate with the country on regional issues.

The remarks echo the sentiment issued by John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications at the White House, in a press briefing the day before, during which he voiced support for Seoul as he implied that Xing’s comments were diplomatically improper.

Responding to a similar question, he said that South Korea is a sovereign, independent nation and great regional and global ally that has the right to make foreign policy decisions it deems appropriate.

Addressing the Chinese ambassador’s remarks, Kirby said that it seems Xing was seeking to use some sort of pressure tactic.