China lodged an official protest over the joint statement from Wednesday's South Korea-U.S. summit reconfirming the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The Communist Party's municipal committee mouthpiece, the Beijing Daily reported on Friday that Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Liu Jinsong met with Kang Sang-wook, a deputy chief at the South Korean Embassy, the previous evening.

Liu expressed "strong dissatisfaction" over the statement and called for a solemn discussion on what he called "wrong expressions” as a way of lodging a protest through a diplomatic channel.

Stressing Beijing's position on Taiwan, Liu urged Seoul to strictly adhere to the "One China" principle.

U.S. President Joe Biden said during a joint press conference with President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday that the two leaders “discussed our work together on promoting peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and beyond.”

The two presidents were speaking to reporters following a summit at the White House. Their Washington Declaration specifies that they oppose "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."