Beijing, Oct 14: Maintaining that the Sikkim question was a historical legacy, China today expressed confidence that the issue would be solved "gradually" with the development of Sino-Indian relations. "On the question of Sikkim, it is a question left over from history. We think that one should respect history and take into consideration practical factors on this question," Chinese sovereignty over the Himalayan state, which joined the Indian Union in 1975.
At the Bali meeting, Wen and Vajpayee restated their resolve to solve the existing problems between the two countries through friendly dialogues and negotiations, Chinese Foreign Ministry sources said. Bureau Report