BEIJING - China will continue to back European Union (EU) countries' efforts to combat the ongoing debt crisis, and it has confidence in both Europe and the EU's common currency, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in Berlin on Wednesday.

"I would like to emphasize that China, together with the international community, supports the efforts of the EU ... to fight the crisis," Yang told reporters after meeting with his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle.

Despite encountering difficulties, the continent is still an important force in the international community; the stability and growth of Europe's economy benefits all countries in the world, he said.

Yang also said he believed the difficulties that the eurozone faces are "only of a temporary character".

Yang came to Berlin to attend the second round of the China-Germany Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogue, following the conclusion of the international conference discussing the future of Afghanistan, held in Bonn on Dec 5.

Xinhua-AFP