On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. This was before the talks, when Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcome ceremony for Muizzu and his wife Sajidha in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Jingwen

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, January 10 (Reporter Zhu Chao) — On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. The two heads of state announced that they would elevate China-Maldives relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Xi Jinping noted that China and the Maldives are traditionally friendly close neighbors, and that the peoples of the two countries established friendly ties through the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Over the 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have always respected and supported each other, setting an example of equality, mutual assistance and mutual benefit between countries large and small. In recent years, bilateral relations have developed in depth, and fruitful results have been achieved in Belt and Road cooperation and exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Under the new circumstances, China-Maldives relations face a historic opportunity to build on the past and open up the future. Elevating China-Maldives relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership meets the needs of the development of bilateral relations and the expectations of the two peoples. China is ready to work with the Maldives to continuously expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields and jointly build a China-Maldives community with a shared future.

On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. This was before the talks, when Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for Muizzu in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhai Jianlan

On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. This was before the talks, when Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for Muizzu in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhai Jianlan

Xi Jinping gave an in-depth explanation of the century-long journey and valuable experience of the Communist Party of China. Xi Jinping stressed that China respects and supports the Maldives in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, firmly supports the Maldives in safeguarding national sovereignty and independence, territorial integrity and national dignity, and is ready to exchange governance experience with the Maldives, strengthen the alignment of development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and set a new benchmark for China-Maldives friendship. The two sides should strengthen cooperation in such areas as economy, trade and investment, agricultural parks, the blue economy, the green economy and the digital economy, expand cooperation in marine ecological and environmental protection, and enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China supports more outstanding Maldivian students in studying in China and will work to increase direct flights between the two countries.

On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. This was before the talks, when Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for Muizzu in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Haitao

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and the Maldives are both developing countries and hold similar views and positions on international and regional affairs. The two sides should maintain close multilateral communication and coordination, uphold true multilateralism and the common interests of developing countries, and work together to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to make the world more peaceful, more secure and more prosperous. China is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Maldives to implement the consensus reached at the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai and promote the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.

On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhai Jianlan

Muizzu said that he was very honored to lead several important cabinet ministers on his first state visit to China and to be the first foreign head of state received by China this year, which fully demonstrates the great importance both sides attach to developing Maldives-China relations. The Maldives firmly pursues the one-China policy. Firmly supporting each other in safeguarding national sovereignty and independence and territorial integrity is the solid foundation for the sustained and sound development of Maldives-China relations. This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's historic state visit to the Maldives. China has provided a great deal of valuable assistance to the economic and social development of the Maldives. Maldives-China cooperation, especially Belt and Road cooperation, has benefited the Maldivian people greatly, and the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge has become a symbol of the friendship between the two peoples. During his visit to Fujian, he witnessed with his own eyes the tremendous achievements of China's development and personally felt President Xi Jinping's outstanding leadership. The Maldives looks forward to taking the building of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as an opportunity to further open new channels for bilateral cooperation, add new substance to bilateral relations, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and promote new progress in Maldives-China relations, creating more benefits for the two peoples. The Maldives welcomes the positive measures taken by China to promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges and looks forward to more Chinese tourists visiting the Maldives. The Maldives supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping and is willing to maintain close communication and coordination and strengthen mutual support with China in international and regional affairs.

On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. This was after the talks, when the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Bin

On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. This was after the talks, when the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Haitao

After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of an action plan on building the China-Maldives comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and a number of bilateral cooperation documents in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation, disaster management, economic and technical cooperation, the blue economy, the digital economy, green development, and infrastructure and people's livelihood.

Before the talks, Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcome ceremony for Muizzu and his wife Sajidha in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

A 21-gun salute was fired at Tiananmen Square, and guards of honor lined up in salute. The two heads of state stepped onto the reviewing stand, and the military band played the national anthems of China and the Maldives. Accompanied by Xi Jinping, Muizzu reviewed the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and watched the march-past.

On the afternoon of January 10, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a state visit to China. This was before the talks, when Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcome ceremony for Muizzu and his wife Sajidha in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Jingwen

That evening, Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan held a welcome banquet for Muizzu and his wife in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

Wang Yi attended the above activities.

During Muizzu's visit to China, the two sides will issue a Joint Press Communiqué of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Maldives.