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Premier Zhu Arrives in Male for Official Visit
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji arrived in Male, capital of the Maldives, on Wednesday for a one-day official visit to the island country in the Indian Ocean, aimed at furthering mutual understanding and friendship.
Zhu was greeted at the airport by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Speaker of the People's Council Abdulla Hameed, Foreign Minister Fathulla Jameel and other Maldivian leaders.
In a written statement distributed at the airport, Zhu said the people of China and the Maldives have a long history of friendly exchanges. In the 29 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, thanks to joint efforts of the leaders and people, the traditional friendship between China and the Maldives has been constantly consolidated and developed.
The Chinese premier said he is looking forward to having an in- depth exchange of views with leaders of the Maldives on bilateral relations and questions of mutual interest and exploring with them the prospect of deepening the mutually beneficial cooperation.
"I am confident that this visit will bring about further development of China-Maldives relations and elevate our friendly cooperation onto a higher level in the new century," Zhu said.
China established diplomatic ties with the Maldives in 1972. In 1984, Maldivian President Gayoom paid a state visit to China, the first at president-level. In 1999, Li Ruihuan, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, paid an official goodwill visit to the Maldives.
The Maldives is the third leg of Zhu's five-nation South Asia and Southeast Asia tour. Zhu has already visited Pakistan and Nepal and will go to Sri Lanka and Thailand after concluding his visit here.
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