Maldives urged to strengthen ties with China

Maldives urged to strengthen ties with China

SAM Staff,
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China urges the Maldives to strengthen alignment of development strategies within the framework of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ [OBOR] Initiative.

Zhang Dejiang, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), made the call recently when meeting Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, speaker of the People’s Majlis, the legislative body of the Maldives.

The OBOR, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, has provided a new opportunity for China-Maldives cooperation, it was observed. The Chinese top legislator called on the two sides to implement existing cooperative projects and seek new ways of cooperation.

During Xi’s visit to the Maldives in 2014, the two countries agreed to establish a future-focused friendly and cooperative partnership. Since then, the two sides have made remarkable progress on the economy and trade, infrastructure, tourism, people’s livelihoods and local affairs.

Maldives-China relations can serve as a model of relations between small and big countries, Maseeh feels.

“Developing mutually beneficial cooperation with China meets the desires of the government, parliament and people of the Maldives”, he said.

The Maldivian Parliament Speaker assured that Male is willing to work with the Beijing to enhance friendly exchanges and support bilateral pragmatic cooperation, so as to better serve the two countries and their people.

2017 marks the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties between the two countries.

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