Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday that the China-India border area has remained peaceful and stable, and he believes the two peoples have the wisdom and capability to find a proper solution to the boundary issue left over by history.

The boundary issue was imposed by the Western colonists on the Chinese people and Indian people when they were not masters of their countries, Li told a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

"I believe the Chinese people and Indian people, who have won the struggle for national liberation, have enough wisdom and capability to find a proper solution to the issue left over by history," he said.

The envoys appointed by Chinese and Indian prime ministers have already held nine meetings and reached agreement on guiding political principles for resolving the boundary issue. They also held useful discussions on the framework to settle this issue.

"The border area will continue to remain peaceful and stable," the foreign minister said.

Guided by the China-India Joint Declaration, the strategic partnership of the two countries has been moving forward in an all-round way, which has also created a favorable condition for the settlement of the boundary issue.

"I believe as long as the two sides bear in mind the overall situation of China-India friendship and act in the spirit of peace and friendship, consultation on equal footing, mutual respect and understanding, we will be able to find a proper solution to this issue acceptable to both countries," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2007)