Though diplomatic sources said no such move was in the offing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman did not reject the idea of bus diplomacy.

``As we know, the Indian side has never proposed to the relevant Chinese department to start a bus service between the two countries,'' the spokesman told PTI here.

The Chinese response, in reply to a question, came after Defence Minister George Fernandes recently expressed optimism that the day was not very far when a stage would be reached for starting a bus service between India and China on lines similar to that of Delhi-Lahore bus service.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will travel to Pakistan by road tomorrow marking the inauguration of first such bus service between India and Pakistan.

New Delhi and Dhaka have also signed a similar agreement and a protocol for introduction of a two-way bus service between Calcutta and theBangladeshi capital.