China has expressed its full readiness to assist in the development of the Maldives, Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade, Mohamed Saeed has announced.
The Minister shared details of high-level discussions aimed at bolstering commercial ties and expanding economic cooperation between the two nations following his official visit to China.
In a statement shared on social media, Minister Saeed highlighted key discussions held with Liu Xiaoming, the Governor of China's Hainan Province. The meeting focused on maximising the strategic benefits of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) established between the Maldives and China, alongside expanding joint projects aimed at driving sustainable development.
Minister Saeed expressed deep appreciation to the Chinese government for its commitment to supporting the Maldives’ priority development sectors. He noted that these commitments build directly upon the strategic agreements reached between President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and Chinese President Xi Jinping during President Muizzu’s state visit to China.
Expanding on his itinerary in Hainan, Minister Saeed also visited the Haiken Group Product Exhibition Hall and met with Meng Xiaoliang, Deputy General Manager of the Hainan State Farms Investment Holding Group, along with other key officials. According to the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade these talks centered on critical economic initiatives, including guaranteeing food security, enhancing regional transport and logistics connectivity, and increasing the direct export of Maldivian fish products to Hainan.
China continues to play a vital role as a key development partner for the Maldives. Beyond financing and executing major infrastructure projects, Beijing’s ongoing assistance encompasses broader support aimed at enhancing the Maldives' human resources and institutional capacity to ensure long-term economic resilience.