China wants to deepen cooperation with Maldives: Xi

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/China wants to continue building its friendship and deepen cooperation with the Maldives, President Xi Jinping has said in its congratulatory note to the country’s newly elected President Ibrahim Solih, who ousted pro-Beijing Abdulla Yameen in general election.

Solih, who was sent the message by Xi on Sunday as reported by the state-run news agency, is the leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party that has been critical of the Chinese projects and deals signed under Yameen who was said to have drifted from traditional ally India to China.

“China is willing to work with the Maldives to continue to cement their friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields to better benefit the people of both countries,” Xi said in his message. He said he highly values the development of China-Maldives relations and was willing to join hands with Solih to lift the comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership between the two countries to a new level.