From January 8 to 12, Mohamed Muiz of the Republic of Maldives** paid a state visit to China. This is the first state visit to a foreign country by Muiz** since taking office, and it is also the first foreign head of state received by China at the beginning of the new year, which fully reflects the great importance that China and Malaysia attach to bilateral relations and the profound traditional friendship between China and Malaysia.
China and the Maldives have a long history of friendship. Over the past 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have always respected and supported each other, setting an example of countries big and small treating each other as equals and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results.
In the process of developing relations with other countries, China has always adhered to mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. Under these principles, China never attaches any political strings to its relations with other countries.
In 2014, the two sides agreed to establish a future-oriented comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership between China and Malaysia. Over the past 10 years, China-Maldives relations have developed in depth, the Belt and Road Initiative and practical cooperation in various fields have yielded fruitful results, and the traditional friendship between the two countries has been deepened.
The Maldives is one of the first countries to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and it is also the first country to benefit from it. With the joint efforts of both sides, major projects such as the China-Malaysia Friendship Bridge, the reconstruction and expansion of Velana International Airport, and tens of thousands of social housing units have been completed, which have greatly facilitated the travel of local people, improved the tourism reception and air transport capacity of the Maldives, improved the living conditions of the local people, brought a transformative impact to the national development of the Maldives, and brought tangible benefits to the people of the Maldives.
The China-Malaysia Friendship Bridge is the first sea-crossing bridge in the Maldives with a total length of 2 km, and is the most iconic and transformative development project implemented in the Maldives to date, ending the history of the capital city of Malé and the emerging city of Hulhumale, the second largest island, which can only be connected by ferry.
Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Maldives friendship and cooperation will promote the long-term prosperity and development of the Maldives. Standing at a new historical starting point, China-Maldives relations will reach a new level, and the practical cooperation between the two countries will write a new chapter.
This article is translated from an editorial in China** on January 9.
Original title: Visit Sign of Friendly Ties with Maldives Not an attempt to steal India's Thunder
Produced by: China's ** Editorial Office.
*: China**Net.