Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday greeted Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on the 61st anniversary of the country’s independence, and expressed Beijing’s desire to advance a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Male.
In his message, Xi noted that China and the Maldives share a long history of friendly exchanges. The two countries established diplomatic relations over 54 years ago, he said.
He recalled Muizzu’s visit to China in 2024 and his meeting with him during which they agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and jointly committed to building a China-Maldives community with a shared future.
Xi expressed his readiness to work with Muizzu to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation and continuously advance the China-Maldives comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, so as to bring greater benefits to both peoples, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also shared a message with his Maldivian counterpart Iruthisham Adam, saying Beijing is ready to work with Male to deliver on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen the alignment of development strategies and deepen high-quality Belt and Road Cooperation.
Muizzu, who won the presidential election in September 2023 on an anti-India plank, visited China in early 2024 and signed 20 agreements, followed up with a defence pact, raising concerns in New Delhi, considering the Maldives’ proximity to India’s southern coast.
Muizzu subsequently toned down his anti-India rhetoric and improved relations with New Delhi as the Maldives faced a severe economic crisis.
He visited India twice in 2024 first to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then on a state visit to New Delhi, during which he acknowledged India’s pivotal role in supporting the Maldives to manage its economic challenges.
Muizzu’s India visits focused on financial assistance, infrastructure, trade, connectivity and strengthening bilateral cooperation. India announced a major financial support package to help the Maldives address its economic challenges.
Subsequently, Modi made a state visit to the Maldives in July 2025 on the invitation of Muizzu and attended their 60th Independence Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour.