China hopes for resolution of Kashmir conflict through Indo-Pak talks

Describing the Kashmir issue as a leftover from history, China today hoped it could be resolved by India and Pakistan through "dialogue and consultations."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu stated this during a media briefing while responding to questions on Premier Wen Jiabao's recent visit to India and Pakistan.

Wen's visit to India and Pakistan was "rich in content and fruitful in results" and would contribute to good neighbourliness, friendliness, mutual beneficial cooperation and peace and stability in neighbouring areas, Jiang said, summing up the premier's trip to the two countries.

She said India and Pakistan are both major countries in South Asia and key neighbours to China.

The development of China-India and China-Pakistan ties is of "great importance to peace and prosperity to South Asia, rest of Asia and world as a whole," she said.

Asked whether the Kashmir issue figured in Wen's talks in both the countries, she said "as we have repeatedly said here, it is an issue left over from history between India and Pakistan.

"As a neighbouring country and a friend to both India and Pakistan, China hope that the two countries could properly settle this issue through dialogue and consultations."

Earlier in his briefing to the Chinese official media on Wen's visit, foreign minister Yang Jiechi, who accompanied the Premier to the two countries, said the visit has "enhanced the two-way strategic partnerships with India and Pakistan, which presented China as a responsible country committed to good neighbourliness, unity and cooperation with its neighbours."