China and India have agreed to maintain peace along their border in the Himalayas while talks are reportedly underway to resolve the long festering border dispute in time for Indian Prime Minister  Narendra Modi's visit to China in May.

China's foreign ministry said Monday  that after talks in New Delhi, both countries have agreed to work on fixing the border dispute that divides the two largest nations.

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In a statement released on Monday, China's foreign ministry said the two countries will build on the positive feedback from previous negotiations they have had with India, and push forward "in the correct direction."

"Both sides reiterated the appropriate management and control of the dispute and joint maintenance of the peace and tranquillity of the border region before the border issue is resolved," the ministry said.

China said seeking 'good relations' with India is very beneficial to both nations especially to regional and global peace and development. The statement further said that as major neighbors and developing countries, it is imperative that the two countries work together to resolve their differences.

The statement added that both sides should work together and cooperate with each other in all practical areas and will take it from there upon the resumption of talks.

Indian PM Modi will be visiting Beijing this May, his first visit to China since assuming office.

Reports said Modi has been focusing on ways to resolve its  boundary dispute  with China, which has affected economic opportunities for the Indian people.

Political observers said the solution to the border dispute is not that easy especially when the conflict  dates back to the UK colonial decisions in Tibet.

The two countries each claimed a 3,500-km border in 1962, triggering a brief war between the two nations.

More than 90,000 sq km along the eastern Himalayas is being claimed by China, but India disputed such claim saying that the vast territory forms the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as South Tibet territory.

In the west Himalayas, India says China is occupying 38,000 sq km of the former's territory on the Aksai Chin in the West.

TagsHimalayas, Tibet, border dispute