Wang added that China's policy is to maintain stability and continuity with South Korea and he urged both sides to "improve national sentiment and manage sensitivities properly" to move bilateral relations forward steadily.

The U.S. President said he wanted to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year and was open to further trade talks with South Korea even as he lobbed new criticisms at the visiting Asian ally.

Washington’s increasing focus on Beijing is straining the decades-old alliance between South Korea and the United States.