From January 8 to 9, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu visited Xiamen and Fuzhou during his state visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation of ministers and senior officials accompanied the president on the visit.

On January 8, Secretary Zhou Zuyi and Governor Zhao Long met with President Muizzu in Fuzhou. Recalling President Xi’s historic state visit to the Maldives in 2014 and the strong connection between Fujian and the Maldives through the ancient Silk Road, Secretary Zhou expressed Fujian’s readiness to work with the Maldives to implement the consensus reached between the two heads of state, cement traditional friendship, increase people-to-people exchanges, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation on culture and tourism, sister city relationship, and marine fisheries to promote common development under the Belt and Road Initiative.

President Muizzu valued the profound friendship between the Maldives and China, and expressed his hope for more direct flights between Malé and Fujian to promote travelling between the two sides and a closer partnership with Fujian in infrastructure, culture, and sister-city exchanges.

On January 9, President Muizzu and Governor Zhao Long attended the Invest Maldives Forum. In his remarks, President Muizzu gave prominence to the significant BRI infrastructure projects and highlighted his vision for a stronger BRI cooperation on connectivity. Reviewing the achievements in people-to-people exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between the two sides, Governor Zhao encouraged Fujian entrepreneurs to expand investment and business presence in the Maldives, particularly in infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, ports, logistics, and hotel management. More than 300 business representatives attended the event.

During his stay in Fujian, President Muizzu also visited the Xiamen Area of the China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Fujian Museum and Hongdong Fishery Co., Ltd.