Germany's Merkel says euro made Europe stronger

(BEIJING) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that the euro had "made Europe stronger", as she began a visit to China aimed in part at reassuring Beijing that the eurozone debt crisis is under control.

Merkel made the comment in a speech in Beijing, just hours after landing in the Chinese capital for a three-day trip during which she will hold talks with Premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao.

"The euro has made Europe stronger," she told an audience at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, adding that the European Union had made "big progress" over the past few years.

Merkel is aiming to boost confidence in Europe -- which is battling a sovereign debt crisis -- in talks with her Chinese counterparts, and may also seek help from Beijing by calling for more Chinese investment in Europe.

During the speech, she said EU members were "deeply convinced" they were "on the right track" with a treaty agreed by most EU countries on Monday that aims to stop countries from overspending.

The treaty -- pushed by Germany and the European Central Bank -- will require governments to introduce laws on balanced budgets and impose near automatic sanctions on countries that violate deficit rules.