Border issue not to hinder China-India relations, says Vice-Foreign Minister

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei said here Friday that Sino-Indian border issue does not hinder the overall development of Sino-Indian friendship and cooperation.

At a news briefing about Premier Wen Jiabao's imminent official visit to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India, scheduled to start April 5, Wu said Sino-Indian border issue is "an issue of leftover from history."

Wu said both sides have a special representative consultation mechanism to work out a political guiding principle, and four meetings were already held. Currently, a joint working group and an experts panel are in operation and the mechanisms are "sound."

The fifth meeting is expected to be held during Wen's visit to India and both sides may reach consensus during the meeting, taking into consideration the current situation, said Wu.

He said settling the border issue thoroughly requires time and the guidance of a political principle acceptable to both governments.

The Sino-Indian border has been tranquil since 1993 and called it a "great thing," he said. Sino-Indian relationships have improved and developed overall. He mentioned the first-ever strategic dialogue held in New Delhi in January this year during which both sides exchanged views candidly.

He said the development of bilateral friendship, strategic cooperation, the strengthening of bilateral coordination and cooperation in international affairs will be discussed in the strategic dialogue.

He also disclosed that a joint statement, now under discussion, may be released to summarize the outcome of Premier Wen's India visit as both sides will have an in-depth exchange of views during the visit on furthering bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields.