China received advance briefings from South Korea and the United States about the Washington Declaration, which highlights the U.S.'s enhanced commitment on its extended deterrence for South Korea against North Korea's evolving nuclear threats.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said on Thursday in a press briefing that the ministry provided an advance briefing on the declaration to relevant countries.

A ministry official refused to comment on which consultation channel was used to provide the explanation, nor did he elaborate on details of the discussions.

Meanwhile, an official at the presidential office said on Wednesday that the U.S. provided an advance briefing to China one or two days before the declaration was announced. 

A senior official at the Biden administration also said in a press briefing that the U.S. presented clear reasons for the measures in the declaration through an advance briefing to China, adding non-proliferation efforts in the Indo-Pacific region also serve China's best interests.