China’s Ambassador to the Maldives, Kong Xianhua, has called for a new “intangible friendship bridge” between the two countries, built on investment, technological cooperation and the development of local talent.
China’s Ambassador to the Maldives, Kong Xianhua, has called for a new “intangible friendship bridge” between the two countries, built on investment, technological cooperation and the development of local talent.
China’s Ambassador to the Maldives, Kong Xianhua, has called for a new “intangible friendship bridge” between the two countries, built on investment, technological cooperation and the development of local talent.
Speaking at the first China–Maldives Investment Cooperation Forum at Barcelo on Wednesday , the ambassador identified renewable energy, smart agriculture and advanced transport as promising areas for bilateral cooperation.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed attended the forum, held under the theme “Empowering the Synergistic Development of Green, Blue and Digital Economies with New-Quality Productive Forces”.
Kong said the China–Maldives Friendship Bridge had improved livelihoods and supported economic development over the past eight years, providing a foundation for a new phase of cooperation.
Today, building on the successful story of cooperation, let us create a new ‘intangible friendship bridge’ for the future
The ambassador said bilateral ties rested on strong political and economic foundations.
He recalled that President Muizzu’s state visit to China had seen relations elevated to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, alongside a joint announcement on building a China–Maldives Community with a Shared Future.
He said agreements signed during the president’s two visits to China, together with those expected to be signed at the forum, would advance priorities agreed by the two countries’ leaders.
They will deepen bilateral economic cooperation through enhanced technology transfer, investment and people-to-people exchanges
Explaining the forum’s focus on “new-quality productive forces”, the ambassador described an approach centred on using scientific and technological innovation to modernise industries and make development more efficient and sustainable.
Whether we foster emerging industries such as renewable energy and artificial intelligence, or modernize traditional sectors through digital and green technologies, the key is to align innovation with industry needs, market demand and talent development
On agriculture, Kong highlighted suitable crops, smart greenhouses, hydroponics and water-saving irrigation as options that could help the Maldives make better use of limited resources and increase local supplies of fresh produce.
He also pointed to rooftop and floating solar, energy storage and micro-grid solutions as opportunities to harness the country’s sunshine.
Reaching the 33% renewable energy target set by His Excellency the President is well within reach
In transport, the ambassador identified electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, known as eVTOL, and electric vessels as potential tools for improving connectivity.
He said these technologies would substantially reduce inter-island logistics costs and reshape transport across the archipelago.
Ambassador Kong also urged closer coordination between government agencies, businesses, industry associations and research institutions to turn political trust into practical economic outcomes.
Developing local skills, particularly among young people, would be essential to ensuring that cooperation delivered lasting benefits,
Through practical projects, we should help young people build their skills and become the next generation of professionals and emerging entrepreneurs in the green, blue and digital economies.
Returning to his bridge metaphor, Kong said technological and investment cooperation would serve as its piers, talent development as its girders, and a shared vision of attaining developed-nation status as its guiding compass.
He concluded by calling on participants to move beyond discussion and pursue concrete cooperation.
I hope all participants will make good use of this forum, exchange ideas, identify practical areas for cooperation, and most important of all, take actions. I believe that years from now, today will be remembered as the foundation-laying moment of this new friendship bridge
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