Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid has said that the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will work to strengthen the relationship with China.

In an interview with the Chinese news media outlet, Xinhua, Minister Shahid said that China has been and will continue to remain as an important economic and bilateral development partner of the Maldives the Maldivian government is committed to working with China in further strengthening the ties of bilateral relations.

Minister Shahid noted that the Maldivian people are grateful to the assistance received from the government of China and the Chinese people in combating the spread of the COVID-19.

The Foreign Minister said the assistance Maldives has received from China over the years has contributed significantly to the socio-economic development of the country from social housing and the implementation of infrastructure projects to human resource development.

"The government of Maldives remains committed to working with China in completing the ongoing projects and to engage in new ones in the future," the Minister Shahid said.

Since President Solih took office, the bilateral relations with China has dwindled and the current government has improved relations with China’s biggest rival in the region, India.