President Hu Jintao and Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom agreed in Beijing Tuesday that China and Maldives should work together for better bilateral relations.

 

The two sides reached comprehensive understandings on how to consolidate the China-Maldives traditional friendship and cooperation during a formal talk between Hu and Gayoom.

 

China and the Maldives forged diplomatic relations 34 years ago. The two sides have established frequent high-level exchanges.

 

Hu thanked the Maldivian government's adherence to the one-China policy. He said China-Maldives relationship has "set a good example" to state-to-state relationship between big and small nations in terms of equality, sincere cooperation and harmonious coexistence.

 

For his part, Gayoom thanked China for its contributions to Maldivian economic development, especially China's assistance to the Maldives after the country suffered a catastrophic Tsunami in 2004.

 

The Maldivian president stressed that the one-China policy is the corner stone of Maldives's China policy, and that the Maldivian government will continue to stick to that policy.

 

Hu proposed the two countries step up cooperation in the political, economic, trade, culture, infrastructure construction, engineering projects and fishery areas.

 

Hu called on the world to pay attention to the economic development and anti-disaster capabilities of small island countries.

 

"The international community should take the interests and security of the medium- and small-sized island nations into full consideration, and take concrete actions to boost their economic development, improve their capability to deal with natural disasters," Hu said.

 

Gayoom echoed his views and said the Maldives highly values its ties with China and is willing to expand cooperation in a number of areas including politics, tourism, finance, infrastructure construction, fishery, and farm produce processing.

 

Following the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of a number of cooperative documents.

 

Gayoom arrived in Beijing on Monday as Hu's guest on a three-day state visit to China.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2006)