China and Maldives are carrying out comprehensive cooperation in the field of infrastructure, the people's livelihood issues in Maldives are gradually being resolved, and the picture of a bright future is slowly unfolding. During his recent visit to the Maldives, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed five cooperation documents with the Maldives in the fields of mutual visa exemption, people's livelihood and infrastructure. The projects mainly include:

- "Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Maldives on Providing Free Assistance", China will build social, livelihood and infrastructure projects for the Maldives under the free assistance according to the needs of the Maldives.

- "Exchange of Letters on the Feasibility Study for the Maintenance of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge", according to the request of the Maldives, the Chinese side agreed to carry out a feasibility study on the follow-up maintenance and technical assistance project for the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge in Maldives.

- "Supplementary Contract for the Implementation of the Aid to Maldives Micro-grid Desalination Equipment Project", China will assist in the construction of a desalination system with a daily output of 100 tons of fresh water on five residential islands in the Maldives.

- "Agreement between the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Maldives on Carrying out a Hospital Matching Support Cooperation Project", through the cooperation between the Chinese and Maldivian hospitals, the Chinese side will help to enhance the capacity building of the Maldivian ophthalmology district center.

Since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, the Chinese government has assisted in the construction of a number of projects in the Maldives, such as the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office Building Reconstruction Project, the Maldives Atoll Road Project, and the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge Project. Among them, the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge invested a total of 3 The project has won the "Best Chinese Overseas Project Award" in 2016. The Chinese government's foreign aid projects have greatly increased the depth, breadth and intensity of Chinese enterprises' participation in the Maldives market.

The Maldives allows foreign investors to participate in housing, electricity, transportation and other livelihood projects. The agreement signed this time brings more opportunities for Chinese contractors to participate in the above-mentioned fields.

Further reading

In 2021, major projects promoted by China in the Maldives mainly include:

The famous tourist destination Maldives is an archipelago country. The Maldives consists of 26 atolls with a total of 1,192 small islands, with a total area of more than 90,000 square kilometers and a total population of about 550,000. The Maldives is a typical small country with a big market. By the end of 2020, the cumulative contract value of Chinese contracting companies in the Maldives exceeded 5 billion US dollars, and the cumulative turnover exceeded 2.8 billion US dollars. USD 187 million for the 1,500-unit housing project on the second phase of Hulhumale Island, USD 133 million for the 1,700-unit housing project for Sinohydro, USD 340 million for the reconstruction and expansion of the Venara International Airport by Beijing Urban Construction, and USD 250 million for the China Harbour Air Lines at Venara International Airport. The station building project and the Ambara island development project invested and constructed, etc. Editor/Sang Xiaomei