At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Mohamed Muizzu of the Republic of Maldives will pay a state visit to China from January 8 to 12, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.

Detailing Muizzu's upcoming visit at a regular press briefing, Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said this is President Muizzu's first state visit to a foreign country since taking office.

President Xi will hold a welcome ceremony and banquet for President Muizzu, Wang said, adding that the two heads of state will hold talks and attend a signing ceremony of cooperation documents.

Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji will also meet with President Muizzu respectively, he added.

Since the diplomatic relations between China and the Maldives were established 52 years ago, the two countries have always adhered to mutual respect and mutual trust, setting an example for countries to treat each other as equals and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, the spokesperson said.

China-Maldives relations have achieved in-depth development over the past decade, Wang said, noting that both sides have yielded fruitful results in the Belt and Road cooperation and other practical cooperations in various fields.

Wang expressed his belief that the two heads of state will make strategic plans for the development of China-Maldives relations through this visit, and push bilateral relations to a new level.

(Cover: President Mohamed Muizzu of the Republic of Maldives speaks after taking the oath during his inauguration ceremony in Male, the Maldives, November 17, 2023. /CFP)