BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government believes the Pakistani government and people are capable of properly handling the dramatic situation in the country, said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu on Thursday.

    Firing broke out between rival political groups in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on May 12 when the suspended chief justice arrived in the city. A total of 30 people were killed and scores of others injured.

    "China, as Pakistan's friendly neighboring nation, is closely observing the current situation in Pakistan," Jiang said, adding that the Chinese government believes Pakistan can properly handle the chaos and maintain social stability.