South Korea’s foreign ministry on Friday summoned Chinese ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming and warned against his controversial remarks about South Korea-U.S. relations.

The ministry said vice foreign minister Chang Ho-jin called in Xing Friday morning, and noted that the ambassador’s public criticism of South Korea’s policy using incorrect and unacceptable terms not only goes against diplomatic norms and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations but can also be construed as interference in domestic politics.

He warned that Ambassador Xing's words and actions seriously counter the hopes of the two countries' governments and peoples to advance bilateral relations based on mutual respect. The vice minister added that such irresponsible remarks can incite misunderstanding and distrust.

Chang also cautioned Xing not to exceed his boundary as a diplomatic envoy, pointing out that he is solely responsible for the consequences of his remarks.  

In a meeting with main opposition Democratic Party chair Lee Jae-myung on Thursday, the Chinese ambassador, touching on the Yoon government’s foreign affairs policy, said the responsibility for strained bilateral relations does not lie with Beijing and that betting on a U.S. win over China would be a mistake and goes against the flow of the times.

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Cho Tae-yong said during an academic conference on Friday that mutual respect is a must when it comes to relations among countries while talking about South Korea’s policies in the areas of diplomacy, security and unification.

Cho used terms such as “dignified diplomacy” and “mutual respect,” seemingly in response to remarks by Ambassador Xing the previous day.