Photo: Xinhua/Huang Jingwen
BEIJING, Jan. 11, Xinhua -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his Maldivian counterpart Mohamed Muizzu in Beijing on Wednesday. The two heads of state announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
According to Xi Jinping, the peoples of the two countries have established friendly relations across the ancient maritime Silk Road, carried out productive cooperation in building the Belt and Road Initiative and other areas in recent years, and set a good example of equality, mutual assistance and mutual benefits between large and small countries in the past 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
"Under the new circumstances, Sino-Maldivian relations face a historic opportunity to open a path to the future based on what has been achieved," Xi said, adding that the upgrading of relations is in line with the need to develop bilateral ties and the expectations of the two nations.
Mr Xi Jinping described the hard work and valuable experience that the Communist Party of China has gained over the past century. China, he said, respects and supports the Maldives in seeking a development path suited to its national conditions and firmly supports the country in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity.
China is ready to exchange governance experience with the Maldives, strengthen synergy of development strategies, promote high-quality cooperation under the "Belt and Road" and create a milestone in Sino-Maldivian friendship, he noted.
He called on the two sides to deepen cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, investment, agricultural parks and blue, green and digital economy. He also called for greater cooperation on marine environmental protection and people-to-people exchanges. China encourages more Maldivian students to study in China and will promote more direct flights between the two countries.
The two sides should strengthen multilateral communication and coordination to protect genuine multilateralism and the common interests of developing countries and build a community for a common future for humanity to make the world more peaceful, secure and prosperous, he continued.
China is willing to work with the Maldives to implement the consensus reached at the UN climate change conference in Dubai and to promote the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, Xi Jinping stressed.
Mr Muizzu said he was honoured to be attending his first state visit to China along with several key ministers and to be the first foreign head of state hosted by China this year, which fully demonstrates the great importance both sides attach to the development of bilateral relations.
According to Mr Muizzu, the Maldives is firmly pursuing a one-China policy. Strong mutual support in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity provides a solid foundation for the healthy and sustainable development of Maldivian-Chinese relations.
Mr Muizzu recalled that this year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi's historic state visit to the Maldives, and said China has provided his country with significant valuable assistance in socio-economic development. He went on to say that the people of the Maldives have benefited greatly from the Belt and Road Initiative and cited the Maldives-China Friendship Bridge as a symbol of the ties between the two nations.
During his visit to Fujian Province, Mr Muizzu said he witnessed China's great achievements and the outstanding leadership of President Xi Jinping. He stressed that the Maldives sees the increase in bilateral relations as an opportunity to expand new avenues of cooperation and to promote a high-quality partnership in building a "Belt and Road", while inviting more Chinese tourists to visit the country.
The Maldives supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping and is willing to closely communicate and cooperate with China on international and regional affairs, Muizzu added.
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