Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Calls for New Era of China–Maldives Economic Partnership 

China’s economic partnership with the Maldives is set to expand beyond traditional physical infrastructure into green technology, renewable energy, and digital industries, Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Kong Xianhua said today.

Speaking at the opening of the first China–Maldives Investment Cooperation Forum held today—attended by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu—Ambassador Kong called on both nations to build an “intangible friendship bridge” anchored in technological innovation, bilateral investment, and human resource development to build upon the legacy of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.

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The forum convened under the theme “Empowering the Synergistic Development of Green, Blue and Digital Economies with New-Quality Productive Forces.” Senior cabinet officials, including Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed, alongside members of the diplomatic corps and private sector representatives, attended the event at the Barceló resort.

Speaking at the opening, Ambassador Kong framed “new-quality productive forces”—a development concept emphasizing technology-driven industrial upgrades—as the cornerstone for future cooperation between the two nations.

“Over the past eight years, the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge has improved the livelihoods of Maldivian people and supported economic development,” Kong said. “Today, building on the successful story of cooperation, let us create a new ‘intangible friendship bridge’ for the future.”

The envoy highlighted three primary sectors for immediate technological collaboration:

• Renewable Energy: Citing China’s domestic expansion of wind and solar capacity—which reached 1,840 gigawatts by late 2025—Kong indicated that Chinese technical support in rooftop solar, floating photovoltaics, energy storage, and micro-grid systems could help the Maldives meet President Muizzu’s target of generating 33 percent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources.
• Modern Agriculture: The ambassador proposed the deployment of smart greenhouses, hydroponics, and water-saving irrigation systems tailored to the low-lying island nation’s soil and geographic constraints to improve local food security.
• Archipelagic Transport: Kong noted that emerging technologies, specifically electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and electric maritime vessels, offer viable avenues to significantly decrease inter-island logistics expenses.

Bilateral ties between Malé and Beijing have accelerated following President Muizzu’s state visit to China in early 2024, during which relations were formally elevated to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Further talks were held last year on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

Wednesday’s forum saw both sides prepare to sign several new bilateral agreements aimed at facilitating direct investment, joint technical projects, and human resource training.