Pathway to brighter future: Belt and Road Initiative in South Asia (3)

The Maldives: Belt and Road profoundly changing the face of Maldivian society

China and the Maldives enjoy a long history of friendship. The China-Maldives relationship has become a model of friendly exchange, mutual benefits and win-win results between countries. In 2014, the Maldives officially joined China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and three years later, the two countries signed an MOU on bilateral cooperation under the framework of the BRI.

 The results of the Belt and Road cooperation between the Maldives and China have been fruitful, benefiting people's livelihoods and profoundly changing the face of Maldivian society, said the Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on January 8, 2022, while holding talks with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Sinamalé Bridge

Sinamalé Bridge, developed as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, connects the Capital City Malé with Hulhumalé and Hulhulé of Maldives. (Photo/Courtesy of CSNEC)

The China-built Sinamalé Bridge, also known as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, is the first cross-sea bridge in the Maldives. This 2,000 -meters-long bridge is a life-changing and long-awaited project for Maldivians as it links Maldives' capital of Malé with the adjacent island of Hulhulé. The bridge has made it possible for locals and tourists alike to travel between the two islands within just five minutes. As of January 2022, the bridge has witnessed more than 100 million trips, providing momentum for Maldives' economic development.

Velana International Airport development project

Drone photo provided by Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) shows the seaplane terminal of the Velana International Airport in the Maldives, June 30, 2021. (BUCG/Handout via Xinhua)

China has pushed forward with the expansion and upgrading project of the Velana International Airport (VIA), transforming it into a modern international airport for the Maldivian people. In November 2021, a new expanded west apron at the VIA in the Maldives was officially inaugurated. The expanded apron is part of the China-backed VIA development project.