Malta's dream of a just and fair society was interconnected with the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, which means that every person is respected, and that people can live happily and serenely, a Maltese minister said.

Every government should strive for people's happiness, as every human being wants to be healthy and happy, Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties Helena Dalli told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Obviously, it is very hard to achieve this for everybody, but we should make that our standard and our aim," she said.

Elected by its people to run the country for five years, Malta's ruling Labor Party must move on to make sure more people have their rights recognized, and live a healthy, happy and prosperous life, Dalli said.

She said Malta has made progress in terms of the harmonization of laws, consumer rights and civil liberties after the country joined the European Union.

Dalli also mentioned that Malta has just legislated on civil unions, which gives people of the same sex the right to enter a civil union and of adoption.

The minister explained that sometimes the society has arrived at a place where the laws have to catch up with it. Sometimes it is the other way round, and the legislation and the society have to adjust to the legal reality.

"In this case, the legislation is helping change the culture, and change people's perceptions of what the reality of the families are," said the minister.

In recent years, illegal immigration continues to be a serious concern for the archipelago state. Statistics showed that a total of 13,399 people were rescued by the military at sea between 2003 and 2013. The integration of migrant communities is also one of the challenges the ministry is facing.

"We are trying to really become a multicultural society, where we respect people," Dalli said, "Nobody chooses how or where he or she is born, and we must understand that and develop policies which enhance the integration of people living on these islands."

She also recalled a meeting with the visiting China Economic and Social Council delegation in Valletta last April and said she was looking forward to visiting China again and witnessing the remarkable socioeconomic achievements China has made.