VALLETTA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Malta is looking forward to enhancing high-level exchanges and cooperation with China and strengthening coordination in international fora to further cement and promote the friendship between the two countries and peoples, Maltese President George Vella said here on Thursday.

Vella made the remarks when he met the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Malta Yu Dunhai at the Presidential Palace in Valletta, capital city of Malta.

Vella spoke highly of the Malta-China relations and thanked China for its support for his country in combating COVID-19.

Malta-China relations have set a model of peaceful coexistence between countries of different sizes, populations, cultural traditions and political systems, said Yu when he presented his credentials to Vella.

Yu noted that the two governments in 2018 signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the Belt and Road, mapping out a new blueprint for bilateral cooperation across the board in the new era. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Malta have stood together and exhibited the determination to overcome the challenge shoulder to shoulder.

Yu said as the two sides will celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties in January 2022, China stands ready to work with Malta to enhance dialogue, communication and cooperation, continue to firmly support each other on international and regional issues and jointly uphold multilateralism so as to lift their relations to a new high.