Kashmir issue should be resolved between India, Pak: China

China today hoped that India and Pakistan could resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally through dialogue as it kept mum over a planned visit of Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq here.

"China has consistent stance on the Kashmir issue," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a news briefing when asked to comment on the visit of the Mirwaiz and statements made by him on China's role in resolving the Kashmir issue.

"The Kashmir issue is an issue between India and Pakistan left over by history. We hope the two sides could properly resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiations," Qin was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

His remarks came after the Hurriyat chairman said China has a stake in the region's peace as certain parts of Kashmir are under its control.

The Mirwaiz had also welcomed a recent joint statement by Chinese president Hu Jintao and his US counterpart Barack Obama, who voiced support for better India-Pakistan relations.

The Chinese foreign ministry's statement came a day after some leading Chinese scholars on South Asia said the planned visit of the Mirwaiz was "unrelated" to India allowing the Dalai Lama to tour Arunachal Pradesh.

Chinese experts, quoted by People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, as well as its affiliate Global Times, say China is not interfering in the Kashmir issue despite Beijing's invitation to the Mirwaiz.