Beijing, Dhu-AlQa'dah 27, 1432, Oct 25, 2011, SPA - Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held talks here today, which focused on Syria, Iran and North Africa. Ashton said two days of talks "underlined once again the quality of our relationship on political, economic, trade and foreign policy issues." China's Foreign Ministry quoted Yang as telling Ashton that China supported the European Union's efforts to tackle its sovereign debt crisis. Ashton discussed cooperation in defence, crisis response and anti-piracy work with Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie, according to a report of the German Press Agency "DPA". "We also discussed regional security issues, including the situation in the South China Sea," she said of the talks with Liang. --SPA 13:53 LOCAL TIME 10:53 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/937478