Visiting Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo met with the Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed on Sunday. The two sides both agreed to boost bilateral relations to a new height.

Wu Bangguo (L, front), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, meets with Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed in Male, Maldives, May 29, 2011. [Liu Jiansheng/Xinhua]

Wu, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, the country's top legislature, highlighted the 39-year growth of bilateral relations since the two forged diplomatic relations, noting that two nations have stood the test of time and transition of international situation.

"The relationship between us has developed into becoming a model for the one between big and small nations," Wu added.

Wu also proposed the two nations to further their cooperation in trade, noting that economic ties between the two nations help lay a solid foundation for the bilateral relations.

The Maldives possesses rich resources in tourism and fishery, and shares huge cooperation potential with China in infrastructure construction, Wu said, stressing that China would take effective measures to expand cooperation with the Maldives in those fields and hopes to see the responding efforts made from the Maldivian side to push forward the collaboration to a higher level.

Wu also voiced his appreciation to the Maldives' long-term supports on issues to China's key concerns such as Taiwan and Tibet.

Nasheed spoke positively of the achievements China made during its economic development, noting that a fast-growing China creates many opportunities for the two nations to further expand cooperation in many fields.

The Maldivian government, people and the various political parties share high enthusiasm in fostering Maldives-China relations that serves the common interests of the both sides, Nasheed said, suggesting the two intensify cooperation in such fields as tourism, infrastructure and education.

The two leaders also conferred on the issue of climate change. Wu called on the developing countries, including the Maldives, to consolidate the solidarity and adhere to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" in an aim to safeguard the common interests of the developing countries.

Visiting here as a guest of his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid, Wu arrived in the island country on Saturday. The Maldives is the last leg of Wu's four-nation trip to Africa and Asia. The trip has taken him to Namibia, Angola and South Africa.