On April 18th, 2022, ,Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin paid a courtesy call on Maldivian First Lady Fazna Ahmed at the President’s Official Residence. They exchanged views on enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Maldives.

Ambassador Wang spoke highly of China-Maldives friendship and believed that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have enjoyed mutual respect and offered support to each other. China-Maldives relationship has become the model of friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation between countries, which gained fresh momentum during the fight against COVID-19. Last July, President Xi Jinping had a phone call with President Solih and reached important consensus on deepening cooperation in various fields, which injected new impetus into our bilateral relationship. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Maldives. In early January, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a successful visit to Maldives, which ushered in a new journey for our bilateral relations.

Ambassador Wang appreciated the efforts of the First Lady in promoting the development of the cause of women, children and education in Maldives. She expressed the readiness to work with the Maldivian side to enhance the exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, education, youth and women between the two countries, so as to make the bilateral friendship deep-rooted in the hearts of the two peoples and passed down from generation to generation. 

First Lady Fazna spoke highly of the long-standing friendly exchanges between the two countries, and emphasized that President Solih attaches great importance to the development of Maldives-China relations. She expressed thanks for the generous assistance by the China government for the social and economic development of Maldives, in particular, the anti-pandemic goods and vaccines which she believed played an important role for Maldivians to fight against COVID-19. She said that the China-Maldives friendship bridge had greatly facilitated Maldivians’ daily life. On the auspicious occasion of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between two countries, the Maldivian side would like to expand people-to-people exchanges with the Chinese side to promote the bilateral relations with greater progress.