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By P.K.Balachandran
Colombo, January 10: The Maldives and China on Wednesday signed MOU in Beijing on building a four-year Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership beginning this year. The also signed an MOU to accelerate the Formulation of the Cooperation Plan on the Belt and Road Initiative.
The MOUs were signed in the presence of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a four-day State visit to China.
Maldives and China exchanged 20 key agreements, including one on the Rasmale’ land reclamation project – the new Maldivian administration’s biggest housing project. This is President Muizzu’s pet project as he was Minister of Housing in the Abdulla Yameen government.
The agreements signed are as follows:
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Disaster Management Authority of the Republic of Maldives and the Ministry of Emergency Management of the People’s Republic of China on Cooperation in The Area of Disaster Risk Reduction
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Deepening Blue Economy Cooperation between the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strengthening Investment Cooperation in the Digital Economy between the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology of the Republic of Maldives and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Promoting Investment Cooperation in Green Development between the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Cooperation between China Media Group and Public Service Media of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Jointly Accelerating the Formulation of the Cooperation Plan on the Belt and Road Initiative between the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strengthening Digital Economy Cooperation between the National Data Administration of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Human Resource Development Cooperation between China International Development Cooperation Agency of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Exchange and Cooperation in the Field of Economic Development Policy between the National Development Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation of Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare of the Republic of Maldives on Strengthening of Agricultural Cooperation
Action Plan between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Maldives for Building a China-Maldives Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership (2024-2028)
Grant Assistance between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation on Green and Low-Carbon Development between The National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy of the Republic of Maldives
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between China International Development Cooperation Agency of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure of the Republic of Maldives on Social Housing Project on Fushidhiggaru Falhu, Expansion of VIA, Fisheries Products Processing Factories and Re-development of Male’ and Villimale’ Roads Development Projects
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources of the Republic of Maldives on Marine Cooperation Toward Blue Partnership
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Maldives on Tourism Cooperation
Letter of Exchange on Coconut Tree Pest Control Assistance Project
Letter of Exchange on Feasibility Study on Laboratory Equipment for Seventeen Health Facilities Project
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on News Cooperation between Public Service Media (PSM) of Republic of Maldives and Xinhua News Agency of People’s Republic of China.
Maldivian source had said that there would be MOUs signed on the extension of the Male airport and a commercial port in Male. But this did not happen.
The Maldivian President’s Office described the signing of the agreements as “a significant step” in bilateral relations between Maldives and China.
The agreements were signed following official talks between Maldives and China, held at the Great Hall of People in Beijing.
During the talks, President Muizzu expressed gratitude for China’s significant role in the Maldives’ economic success, and for China’s generous assistance in social housing, higher education, and infrastructure development of the Maldives.
He additionally explored avenues for expanding tourism cooperation and air connectivity between the two countries.
Meanwhile, President Jinping congratulated President Muizzu on his election victory, and expressed confidence that the visit would mark the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations between China and the Maldives.
He also expressed hope to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including the blue, green, and digital economies.
Both leaders conveyed optimism that the bilateral ties between the two nations will continue to strengthen in the future.
President Muizzu, accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level ministerial delegation, is currently undertaking his first overseas state visit to a foreign country.
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