TIANJIN - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met here on Sunday, agreeing that China and India are partners, not rivals.

The meeting of the leaders of the world's two most populous countries took place ahead of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be held in north China's port city of Tianjin from Sunday to Monday.

Xi told Modi that China and India are each other's development opportunities rather than threats.

As long as the two countries keep to this overarching direction, specific matters in the bilateral relations will fall into place and there will be steady and sustained progress in bilateral ties, Xi said.

He said China and India are important members of the Global South, and shoulder the crucial responsibility of improving the well-being of the two peoples, promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing countries, and advancing the progress of human society.

They should become good-neighborly friends and partners that help each other succeed. A "cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant" should be the right choice for the two countries, he added.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties, Xi said the two countries need to view and handle the relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective.

While the successful meeting between Xi and Modi in Kazan last year enabled the China-India relations to have a reset and start anew, the two sides should pursue a further improvement of ties from the Tianjin meeting onward, according to the Chinese president.

Xi called on the two countries to strengthen strategic communication and deepen mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and win-win, accommodate each other's concerns and get along in peace and harmony, and strengthen multilateral coordination to safeguard shared interests.

The two Asian neighbors should combine their strength to maintain peace and tranquility in their border regions, and should not allow the boundary question to define the overall China-India relations, Xi said.

Xi called on the two countries to work together for a multi-polar world and greater democracy in international relations, and to make due contributions to peace and prosperity in Asia and the wider world.

Modi said since his meeting with Xi in Kazan last year, the bilateral relationship has been back on a positive trajectory, peace and stability in the border regions have been maintained, and direct flights are about to be resumed.

Noting that India and China are partners, not rivals, and the consensus between the two countries far outweighs their disagreement, Modi said India is ready to view and develop bilateral ties from a long-term perspective.

Given the great uncertainties in the world economy, it is vital for India and China to strengthen cooperation as important economies of the world, Modi said.

India is prepared to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement of the boundary question with China, he said.

Both countries pursue strategic autonomy and an independent foreign policy, and their bilateral relationship is not subject to the influence of any third party, said the Indian prime minister, adding that India-China cooperation will make the 21st century a genuine "Asian century."

Senior Chinese officials Cai Qi, Wang Yi, and Chen Min'er were present at the meeting.