Tianjin, Aug 31: Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday that New Delhi and Beijing should "remain friends" and foster good neighbourly ties, so that the "dragon and the elephant can dance together" in mutual success.

In his opening remarks during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, Xi Jinping called India and China important member countries of the Global South.

He emphasised that the two nations should take the responsibility of improving the well-being of their people and promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing nations.

"The world today is swept by once-in-a-century transformations. The international situation is both fluid and chaotic. China and India are two ancient civilisations in the East. We are the world's two most populous countries, and we are also important members of the Global South. We both shoulder the historical responsibility of improving the well-being of our two peoples, promoting the solidarity and rejuvenation of developing countries, and promoting the progress of human society," Xi Jinping said.

"It is the right choice for both countries to be friends who have good neighbourly and amicable ties, partners who enable each other's success, and to have the dragon and the elephant come together," he added.

Xi Jinping stressed that India and China must step up their responsibility to uphold multilateralism, work together to bring about a multipolar world and more democracy in international relations and make a contribution to peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world.

Highlighting that 2025 is the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties, the Chinese leader said that it is necessary for both sides to "approach and handle" the bilateral relations from a "strategic height and long-term perspective" to realise the "sustained, sound and steady development" of the relations between the two nations.

"We must also step up to our historic responsibility to uphold multilateralism, work together to bring about a multipolar world and more democracy in international relations, and to make our true contributions to peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world," he added.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi said the cooperation between India and China will pave the way for the "welfare of the entire humanity" and reaffirmed that New Delhi is committed to taking forward the bilateral relations on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.

He also congratulated the Chinese President on assuming the Chairmanship of the SCO.

The last engagement between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia's Kazan in 2024.

The breakthrough in dialogue was made possible after both sides reached an agreement on patrolling protocols along the 3,500-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC), effectively easing a four-year border confrontation.

(IANS)

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