It's a sign of an upgraded relationship between the two countries, as China sets the stage for further investment in the Indian Ocean archipelago by agreeing to a "comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership."
Muizzu took office in November after winning on his "India out" platform, in which he cast China's regional rival as a threat to sovereignty.
His government has since asked dozens of locally based Indian military personnel to leave while talking up opportunities for Chinese investors... despite already owing Beijing around $1.4 billion.
Relations between India and China nosedived after both sides clashed in the western Himalayas in 2020, resulting in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops.
The relationship between the Maldives and India further soured over the weekend after three now-suspended-deputy ministers from the island nation disparaged India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media.
On Monday, one of India's largest travel platforms suspended flight bookings to the tourism-dependent country.
Xi said he backed increasing the number of direct flights between the two countries, in a potential boon for the Maldives' travel and tourism sector.
The Maldives owes around 20% of its public debt to China, according to World Bank data, making Beijing its biggest bilateral creditor ahead of Saudi Arabia and India, which it owes over $120 million to each.
