NEW DELHI, April 23 -- A visiting senior Chinese army officer on Tuesday called on the Chinese and Indian militaries to forge closer ties by expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, made the remarks when meeting here with Bikram Singh, chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army.

China and India are the two largest developing countries, and bilateral cooperation not only benefits both nations but contributes to global peace and stability, Qi said.

He called for earnest implementation of the border defense cooperation agreement the two countries signed during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official visit to China in October 2013.

Meanwhile, the two militaries should boost exchanges and cooperation in various fields so as to push their relations to higher levels, added the Chinese officer.

China, he said, is ready to work with India to strengthen management and control, handle bilateral differences in a proper manner, and thus safeguard border peace and stability and create a favorable environment for the common development of both countries.

For his part, Singh said this year marks the Year of India-China Friendly Exchanges, which provides new opportunities to promote the relations between the two militaries.

The Indian side is willing to enhance exchanges and communication with China in order to maintain a peaceful border and help safeguard regional stability, he added.