Neighborhood diplomacy: Muizzu's China visit aims to strengthen ties

Editor's note: Yu Hong, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a senior research fellow of the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Mohamed Muizzu of the Republic of Maldives is paying a state visit to China from January 8 to 12. He is the first foreign head of state to visit China by invitation in 2024. It is also President Muizzu's first state visit to a foreign country since he took office last November.

This clearly shows that both the Chinese and Maldivian governments attach great importance to the visit of the newly-elected President of the Maldives to Beijing. It is expected that the two countries will reach much consensus and sign a series of bilateral cooperation agreements in a range of areas, including politics, trade, investment, infrastructure development, education, tourism, culture, and green economy.

On October 14, 1972, China and the Maldives established diplomatic relations. Since then, friendly relations between the two countries have gradually developed. In September 2014, China's President Xi paid a state visit to the Maldives, the first of its kind since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The two heads of state agreed to build a "future-oriented, all-round friendly and cooperative partnership" during Xi's visit.

China views the Maldives as an important partner in its neighborhood diplomacy. The Maldives is strategically located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, at the crossroads of the East and the West, being a key shipping link along routes for transporting goods between Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

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