Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the Lee Jae Myung government aims to maintain good relations with China while it cooperates with the United States and Japan to prevent China from threatening the international order.

Cho made the remarks in an interview with the Washington Post, released Sunday local time, during which he spoke about geopolitical challenges such as military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.

The minister said, “In Northeast Asia, we have another problem of China becoming somewhat problematic with its neighbors,” pointing to Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea and the Yellow Sea, where it has caused conflicts by claiming sovereignty over islands and installing structures without permission.

Cho said, however, that despite becoming wary of China’s rise and challenges, the government seeks to maintain good relations and to see China abide by international law not only on bilateral matters but regional affairs too. 

He went on to say that he noted the need for ties with China during his recent meetings with Japan’s prime minister and foreign minister, and that efforts to engage Beijing will all be done in cooperation with the U.S.

Cho’s interview came on the heels of his visit to Washington on Thursday last week, when he met with officials from the Donald Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.