AGRA, Jan 13: Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji began a landmark five-day trip to India on Sunday, as New Delhi made clear he was not here to mediate between India and Beijing’s strategic ally Pakistan.

Zhu, the highest-ranking Chinese leader to visit India in a decade, landed in the afternoon in Agra. After a short rest at a hotel, he toured the Taj Mahal ahead of a flight to New Delhi.

India stressed as Zhu was arriving that the Chinese premier was not out to defuse the tension between it and Pakistan.

“China has neither any intention, nor shall it play any mediatory role between India and Pakistan,” Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters in New Delhi.

But Singh said Zhu’s visit showed that relations between the world’s two most populous countries were in good shape. “I am confident that there will be progress (in the ties) during his visit.”

Zhu said he would press Delhi to revoke anti-dumping duties on more than 50 Chinese products.—AFP