President Hu Jintao and Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
agreed in Beijing Tuesday that China and Maldives should work
together for better bilateral relations.
The two sides reached comprehensive understandings on how to
consolidate the China-Maldives traditional friendship and
cooperation during a formal talk between Hu and Gayoom.
China and the Maldives forged diplomatic relations 34 years ago.
The two sides have established frequent high-level exchanges.
Hu thanked the Maldivian government's adherence to the one-China
policy. He said China-Maldives relationship has "set a good
example" to state-to-state relationship between big and small
nations in terms of equality, sincere cooperation and harmonious
coexistence.
For his part, Gayoom thanked China for its contributions to
Maldivian economic development, especially China's assistance to
the Maldives after the country suffered a catastrophic Tsunami in
2004.
The Maldivian president stressed that the one-China policy is
the corner stone of Maldives's China policy, and that the Maldivian
government will continue to stick to that policy.
Hu proposed the two countries step up cooperation in the
political, economic, trade, culture, infrastructure construction,
engineering projects and fishery areas.
Hu called on the world to pay attention to the economic
development and anti-disaster capabilities of small island
countries.
"The international community should take the interests and
security of the medium- and small-sized island nations into full
consideration, and take concrete actions to boost their economic
development, improve their capability to deal with natural
disasters," Hu said.
Gayoom echoed his views and said the Maldives highly values its
ties with China and is willing to expand cooperation in a number of
areas including politics, tourism, finance, infrastructure
construction, fishery, and farm produce processing.
Following the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of
a number of cooperative documents.
Gayoom arrived in Beijing on Monday as Hu's guest on a three-day
state visit to China.
(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2006)
