President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has invited Chinese investors to strengthen partnerships with Maldivian businesses, calling for investments that create jobs, develop skills and support the country’s goal of becoming a fully developed nation by 2040.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has invited Chinese investors to strengthen partnerships with Maldivian businesses, calling for investments that create jobs, develop skills and support the country’s goal of becoming a fully developed nation by 2040.
Speaking at the China–Maldives Investment Cooperation Forum, held alongside Maldives Expo 2026 today, the President said cooperation between the two countries should deliver lasting economic benefits and improve people’s lives.
We do not seek investments merely for the capital it brings. We seek the industries it creates, the skills it develops, the jobs it generates and the opportunities it opens to our people
President Dr. Muizzu highlighted renewable energy, food security, logistics, advanced fisheries processing, digital technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare and financial services among the sectors offering investment opportunities.
He said China’s expertise in infrastructure, technology and industrial innovation made it a natural partner in these areas.
The President described the China–Maldives Free Trade Agreement as a significant milestone in bilateral economic relations, providing businesses with greater opportunities to access the Chinese market.
According to figures cited in his speech, the Maldives imported approximately US$440 million worth of goods from China between January 2025 and August 2026.
Around US$124 million of those imports, representing more than a quarter of the total, entered under the agreement.
However, he stressed that cooperation should extend beyond trade volumes to strengthen commercial partnerships and generate benefits for communities across the Maldives.
President Dr. Muizzu identified Maldivian fisheries products, local craftsmanship and services as areas with potential in China, encouraging Chinese enterprises to work with local businesses on processing, supply chains, distribution and market access.
He also highlighted growing digital payment links. Between January and September 2026, more than 73,000 transactions were processed through Alipay and WeChat Pay in the Maldives, with a combined value approaching US$11 million, he said.
The President said these services made spending easier for visitors and supported local business growth. He added that China remained the Maldives’ largest tourism source market, with more than 320,000 Chinese visitors in 2025, while e-commerce platforms offered further opportunities for Maldivian suppliers to reach international customers.
On development financing, Muizzu said cooperation with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank had advanced priorities including renewable energy, energy storage, waste-to-energy and climate adaptation. He called for greater private-sector participation and technology transfer to support commercially sustainable projects.
The President also highlighted the Government’s new Foreign Investment Act, which he said replaced legislation that had governed foreign investment for more than four decades. The reform aims to strengthen transparency, policy certainty and investor confidence as the Maldives pursues its Vision 2040 development ambitions.
Urging businesses to turn discussions into practical projects, Muizzu said the success of future partnerships would be measured by the economic opportunities and improvements they delivered.
And let the next chapter of Maldives–China relations be defined not only by what we have achieved together, but by what we are prepared to build next.
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