274 Chinese nationals stranded in the Maldives, have been repatriated.

They were repatriated via two flights of the China Eastern Airlines, on Sunday.

The first flight took 138 passengers to Wuhan while 136 people flew to Zhengzhou Xinzheng via the second flight.

Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives, Zhang Lizhong thanked the frontline workers at the airport, for the successful repatriation via Twitter.

He added that he was at Velana International Airport (VIA) for a while “only to think of the hard work of those people working on the frontline”.

While Maldives’ borders have been closed since March following the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of foreigners stranded in the Maldives have been repatriated with the assistance of the foreign ministry and other relevant institutions.

Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and Ambassador Lizhong held discussions on Saturday, on “a broad range of mutual interest”. The ambassador stressed that the Maldives-China relationship “has surely come out stronger” following the Covid-19 crisis and added that this is through “enhanced mutual interest, mutual support an understanding”.

China has provided various support in Maldives’ Covid-19 response efforts. This includes donations of medical supplies and equipment, as well as assistance in the construction of an accommodation block for foreigners.

Appreciating the help offered by China during these trying times, Foreign Minister Shahid had said that the Maldives "is immensely privileged to have the support and generosity of friends, such as the Government and the people of China".