China, Maldives to cooperate more on Belt and Road

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China and the Maldives on Thursday agreed to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative to strengthen bilateral ties.

The consensus was reached during talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting Maldivians President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

President Xi praised the Maldives' active role in the Belt and Road Initiative. China regards the Maldives as a key cooperative partner in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative and is willing to synergize development strategies with the Maldives to share development opportunities and achieve common prosperity, Xi added.

China's President Xi Jinping speaks to Maldives' President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, December 7, 2017. /Reuters Photo

“Mr president is the first president from neighboring countries coming to visit after the 19th CPC National Congress", Xi told Yameen.

He noted China and Maldives have traditional friendly relations. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two sides have treated each other as equal, lived in amity and realized win-win cooperation over the past 45 years.

Xi also pointed out in recent years, the two sides have established a Future-Oriented All-Round Friendly and Cooperative Partnership and bilateral ties have entered the fast track of development.

Under the new situation, the Chinese president also stressed in order to constantly strengthen the bilateral ties, new impetus should be injected into bilateral relations, the Chinese president stressed.

Maldivians President Abdulla Yameen (C) speaks to Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People, December 7, 2017. /Reuters Photo‍

He added the two sides should maintain the momentum of high-level contact, strengthen dialogues in various areas and at different levels, encourage and support exchanges and cooperation between the governments, legislative bodies and social groups of the two countries.

In terms of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, Xi told Yameen the two sides should regard the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on jointly promoting the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as new platforms to intensify economic and trade cooperation.

Xi also called for deepening pragmatic cooperation with the Maldives in economy, trade, infrastructure, tourism, ocean, anti-terrorism, drug control, crime fighting and other fields to better benefit the two peoples.

China's President Xi Jinping and Maldives' President Abdulla Yameen attend a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, December 7, 2017. /Reuters Photo

China is ready to take practical action with the Maldives to promote international cooperation, jointly cope with climate change issues and realize green, low-carbon and sustainable development, said Xi.

Xi hoped Maldives could continuously support China's cooperation with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and promote prosperity and development in South Asian region.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also held talks with Yameen.

Premier Li said the two countries have upgraded bilateral relations to a Future-Oriented All-Round Friendly and Cooperative Partnership since Xi's visit in 2014. China supports Maldives in safeguarding its national sovereignty and independence. China will keep high-level communications with Maldives and deepen cooperation in various fields while upholding the principle of equality and mutual respect.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) shakes hands with Maldives' President Abdulla Yameen at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, December 7, 2017. /Reuters Photo‍

Li pointed out that China has been the biggest source country of Maldives in terms of tourism, visioning the cooperation has a broad prospect. We encourage Chinese citizens to visit Maldives that would bring more people-to-people communications between two peoples.

Li hopes that Maldives could keep providing convenience to Chinese tourists and the two countries could share more experience in tourism development.

Yameen said China and Maldives have kept a close relation since the establishment of diplomatic relations 45 years ago. Yameen appreciates the help from Chinese side for economic and social development, saying that Maldives will further consolidate cooperation partnership with China in accordance with the spirit of equality and mutual respect.