China offers Maldivians scholarships, sports training

Chinese Premier Li Qiang offered support to the Maldives in various fields on Thursday, including scholarship opportunities and sports training.

Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu – who is on a state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, met with the country’s premier Li on Thursday morning.

According to the President’s Office, the two leaders remarked that Maldives-China relations are based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, and shared historical ties.

At the meeting, President Muizzu and Premier Li deliberated on increasing cooperation in e-commerce, and in upcoming projects by the Maldivian administration, including the Rasmale’ project, airport expansion, and other development projects.

They also discussed increasing direct flights and further cooperation in tourism.

According to the President’s Office, Premier Li proposed to offer avenues of support to Maldivians in various fields, including scholarship opportunities, vocational training, sports training, fisheries and maritime cooperation, ecological cooperation, metrological technologies, and more.

At the meeting, President Muizzu said he hopes to strengthen ties in numerous areas of shared interest, and take bilateral relations between the Maldives and China to new heights during his administration.

The meeting with Premier Li comes after President Muizzu met with President Xi for official talks on Wednesday, and presided over the signing of 20 agreements between the two countries.

President Xi has hailed the visit as “the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations between China and the Maldives.”