Leaders from China and the European Union agreed to step up cooperation to counter extremism and terrorism in the Middle East and Africa, the EU said on Thursday.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy on Wednesday evening on the sidelines of a gathering of Asian and European leaders known as the Asia-Europe Meeting in Milan.
"They reviewed the situation in the Middle East, northern Africa and the Sahel (region of Africa) and agreed to increase cooperation to counter the common threat of extremism and terrorism in these regions," an EU statement issued after the talks said, without specifying what kind of cooperation.
The EU and Chinese leaders agreed on the importance of re-establishing peace and stability in Ukraine in accordance with U.N. principles, the EU statement said.
Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to finalize as soon as possible negotiations on an ambitious bilateral investment agreement. Talks on the agreement began in January.