As one of the first South Asian countries to join the Belt and Road Initiative, the Maldives has always dreamed of building a cross-sea bridge. The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge is located in the North Male Atoll of the Maldives and was built by a Chinese engineering team. It is the first modern bridge in the Maldives and the first in the world. A cross-sea bridge built in the unobstructed environment of deep ocean and coral reef geology. The cross-sea bridge is 2 kilometers long and connects the capital Male Island, Airport Island and Hulhumale Island. It is designed to have a service life of 100 years. It is a landmark project between China and Maldives in the field of jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. .

Construction of the bridge started in 2015 and was completed in 2018. It will help the Maldives form a living circle around the capital, help alleviate the living pressure on Male Island, and also provide convenience for tourists to travel back and forth. Editor/Xu Shengpeng