EU thanks China for its support of ailing euro zone

BEIJING - Visiting European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said in Beijing on Monday that he appreciated China's help in maintaining the stability of the euro zone.

Since debt worries in the euro zone shook markets last year, China has repeatedly said that it remains confident in the single-currency region and pledged to buy debt issued by some of its troubled member states.

China's ambassador to the European Union has said Beijing was considering buying more debt after investing billions of euros in Portuguese and Greek bonds.