Pranab Mukherjee begins four-day China visit((Lead:Mukherjee)

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today left on a four-day visit to China to hold discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the decades-old boundary row.

New Delhi, June 4 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today left on a four-day visit to China to hold discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the decades-old boundary row.

The talks on boundary dispute are being held as per the political parameters and guiding principles agreement reached between the two countries in 2005.

Besides, Tibet and water are among the several other issues, which are expected to figure during the visit.

The two countries, which have set a bilateral trade target of 60 billion dollars to be achieved by 2010, are likely to discuss ways in which business ties could be enhanced.

Mukherjee will hold talks with his counterpart Yang Jiechi and also call on Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing. In Guangzhou, the Minister will inaugurate the new Consulate General of India.

Mukherjee is visiting China at the invitation of Jiechi.

The visit will be the first high-level political exchange between the two countries after Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's visit to China from January 13 to 15.

Jaswant Singh was the last Indian Foreign Minister to visit China on a bilateral visit from March 29 to April 2, 2002. By Naveen Kapoor

ANI