Xi pledges to share development opportunities with Maldives

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, speaker of the People's Majlis, the unicameral legislative body of Maldives, in Male, Maldives, Sept. 15, 2014. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged in Male Monday to share development opportunities with the Maldives. [Special coverage]

"We will share China's development opportunities with the international community through win-win cooperation in pursuit of common development," Xi said when meeting with Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, speaker of the People's Majlis, the unicameral legislative body of the Maldives.

China will support the Maldives' push for economic and social development as the island country, with its geographic advantages and natural resources, is developing the maritime sector and tourism to improve the people's living conditions, said the Chinese president.

Xi arrived in Male on Sunday for a state visit to the Maldives at the invitation of his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. On Monday morning, the two presidents held talks and agreed to establish a future-oriented all-round friendly and cooperative partnership between their two countries.

Briefing Maseeh on the presidents' talks, Xi said China and the Maldives will expand cooperation in trade, tourism, infrastructure construction and the maritime sector, to jointly build the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Xi said he hopes the legislatures of the two countries will increase interactions and play a positive role in enhancing the bilateral relationship.

Maseeh said China understands what the Maldives really needs on the path of development, and has been pushing ahead with some major projects and provided the island countries with invaluable support and assistance.

Hailing China as a faithful friend and reliable partner, Maseeh said the Maldives will learn from China's development experience and boost cooperation with China.

Maseeh said the Maldivian People's Majlis is willing to maintain friendly exchanges with the Chinese National People's Congress to contribute to the bilateral relationship.

On Monday, Xi also met with former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who is also president of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Xi said he appreciates Gayoom's contribution to the relationship between China and the Maldives and hopes the former president will continue to contribute to the bilateral ties with his influence.

Xi, also general-secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said the CPC is willing to maintain the momentum of exchanges and cooperation with the PPM.

Recalling his two visits to China, Gayoom said he is happy to witness the continuous development of the Maldives-China relationship as well as the deepening friendship between the people of the two countries.

Gayoom pledged he and the PPM party will keep working to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

It was the first visit of a Chinese president to the Maldives since diplomatic relations were established 42 years ago.

The Maldives is the second leg of Xi's ongoing four-country Asia trip, which will also take him to Sri Lanka and India.