China still considers the debt-burdened European Union as an investment market and is ready to support the European economy with no prerequisites, officials from the foreign affairs and commerce ministries said on Tuesday.
"China believes in the European economy and in the euro zone, supports the moves by the EU and the International Monetary Fund to fight the crisis and will continue considering Europe as one of the core investment markets," said Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei.
"China believes that Europe has the power and wisdom to overcome the crisis and ensure the safety of Chinese investment."
Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said: "China is not setting any preconditions for helping others. We are only hoping for respect, and our assistance is sincere."
Danyang said that EU's recognition of Chinese market economy, necessary for China's accession to the World Trade Organization, should not be associated with Beijing's earnest desire to help the EU fight the debt crisis.
The EU is obliged to recognize China's market economy status by 2016. Beijing has been trying to speed up recognition, which will improve protection of Chinese exporters against possible protectionist measures by the European authorities.
