“State Councilor’s historic visit started a new journey for China-Maldives relations”

State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi recently concluded a fruitful visit to the Maldives, which the Chinese Ambassador to Maldives, Wang Lixin has described to have created the future and started a new journey for the relationship between China and Maldives.

Ambassador Lixin issued a written briefing on the State Councilor’s official visit from January 7 – 8 on Wednesday, highlighting that the recent “historic” visit has “enhanced” mutual trust, “expanded” practical cooperation, “deepened” traditional friendship and created the future, starting a “new” journey for the ties between both countries.

Highlighting that the fruitful visit is of “great significance” to the Maldives-China relationship, the ambassador shed light on five important points to summarize the achievements of the visit.

Maldives was an important destination on the State Councilor’s first New Year trip and has proven to be of significance to mark the beginning of the 50th anniversary of Maldives-China diplomatic relations and an important high-level visit from China in recent years which is of great significance or the future development of bilateral ties.

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations, celebratory events were launched with the unveiling of the official logo.

Ambassador Lixin went on to shed the spotlight on the two major goals the visit has brought to the surface; one being to review and summarize the important achievements and experience of the bilateral relations which have gathered over the past 50 years.

The second goal, she said, is to draw a blueprint for the future development of the relationship between Maldives and China.

The Chinese Ambassador stated that the visit has presented three important messages; one being that China has “always” upheld that all nations are equal and that China has “always” supported the Maldives in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, pursuing an independent foreign policy.

Maldives “firmly” upholds the One-China principle and supports China on issues of core interest.

The statement goes on to read that through 50 years of joint collaboration, Maldives and China have withstood the test of international fluctuations and in turn become more mature and a model of friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation.

Further, with “down-to-earth” actions, China supports the Maldives to speed up its socio-economic construction and enhancing the capability of independent development.

The third important message is that at the historical point of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the two sides must take a broader view and open up a new chapter of mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation.

Ambassador Lixin highlighted that four key directions for future cooperation have surfaced due to the visit.

Firstly, both countries are required to continue cooperation in battling the Covid-19 pandemic for a “complete” victory.

The second one, is to continue to build the Belt and Road with high quality, fast-tracking cooperation on key projects and tourism as well as promote the ratification and taking effect of the free trade agreement at an early date in a bid to offer incentive to the post-pandemic economic recovery of Maldives.

Ambassador Lixin noted the fourth key direction for future cooperation to be expanding cooperation with the Maldives in emerging fields including communication, digitization and marine economy, as well as to back its efforts for the strategy of diversified development.

Fourthly, both countries have been directed to solidify coordination in international affairs and safeguard the international system centered on the United Nations.

The agreements signed between both countries are:

Ambassador Lixin revealed that the visa exemption agreement will “greatly” facilitate the movement of people between Maldives and China once the pandemic has been controlled, which will in turn assist in the enhancement of people-to-people contact and friendship.

Further, China will assist the Maldives on socio-economic, likelihood and infrastructure construction under the agreement on economic and technical cooperation on grant aid.

The ‘China-Maldives Friendship Bridge’ or the ‘Sinamale Bridge’ is a landmark project in the cooperation under the BRI between Maldives and China. With this being said, the ambassador noted that China will support for the bridge’s follow-up management and maintenance, facilitating the local people’s travel and making more contributions to the economic and social development of Maldives.

The sea-water desalination project will see the government of China funding the establishment of sea water desalination plants in five inhabited islands, in the near future. Each of them will satisfy the water demands of 2,000 residents, effectively solving the issue of fresh-water scarcity among local communities.

In addition to this, the government of China will provide support and assistance to the government of Maldives in capacity-building for a regional ophthalmic center and help more people with vision impairment to recover eyesight with quality medical services provided under the agreement on hospital assistance and cooperation programme.

These new initiatives will see China supporting the government of Maldives in a bid to accelerate economic and social construction and improve the independent development capacity, which will not only provide incentive for the revival of the economy and improvement of the Maldivian people’s livelihood, but also help promote people-to-people exchanges and friendship between the two countries.

The statement concluded with a hopeful ambassador stressing that China is “ready” to work together with the government of Maldives to implement the important consensus and results of the visit, and to take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to promote the “future-oriented”, “all-round friendly” and “cooperative” partnership to newer heights, which will in turn pave the path to a “brighter” and “better” future for the relationship between both countries.

The minister’s visit came upon the invitation of Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and mirrored efforts by both countries to solidify the long-standing bilateral ties between Maldives and China.

The visit saw the Chinese minister paying a courtesy call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and FM Shahid. Both foreign ministers engaged in bilateral discussions, after which they observed the signing of the key agreements. This was followed by a joint statement where FM Shahid shed light on the important role China has played in the socio-economic development of the Maldives, contributing immensely towards social housing, capacity building, infrastructure development, and tourism for over five decades.

Maldives accords China as one of the most important development partners. China continues to contribute to the socio-economic development of Maldives, in several areas of significance.