Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Kong Xianhua Pays Courtesy Call on Maldivian Minister of Defence

On September 9, Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives H.E. Kong Xianhua paid a courtesy call on Maldivian Minister of Defence H.E. Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon. The two sides exchanged views on China-Maldives relations and defense cooperation.

Ambassador Kong noted that not long ago, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu visited China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, during which he also met with President Xi Jinping. President Xi emphasized that China will continue to firmly support the Maldives in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and in pursuing a development path suited to its own national conditions. China is ready to work with the Maldives to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen defense and security cooperation, and jointly build a China-Maldives community with a shared future.

Minister Ghassan fondly recalled accompanying President Muizzu on his state visit to China early last year, warmly welcomed Ambassador Kong in assuming his new post, and spoke highly of Maldives-China relations. He expressed appreciation for China's longstanding equal treatment of the Maldives and its valuable support for the country's development. He also expressed readiness to further strengthen defense and security cooperation with China in order to better safeguard the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the Maldives.