Economic Observer Network NewsMohamed Muiz of the Republic of Maldives** paid a state visit to China from 8 to 12 January 2024. Muiz is the first foreign head of state to be hosted by China in 2024.
According to *** news, on January 10, China and the Maldives announced that they would upgrade their relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The two countries signed an action plan for building a China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, as well as a number of bilateral cooperation documents in the areas of the Belt and Road Initiative, disaster management, economy and technology, blue economy, digital economy, green development, infrastructure and people's livelihood.
The Chinese side also announced that it will promote the increase of direct flights between the two countries. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Tourism of the Maldives, in 2023, it will receive about 1.87 million foreign tourists, including about 18 Chinese tourists70,000 person-times, accounting for 10%, ranking among the top three. Before 2020, China was the largest tourist country in the Maldives. The Ministry of Tourism of the Maldives expects the number of foreign tourists to reach 2 million in 2024, with the number of Chinese tourists expected to return to the top spot.
Over the past decade, relations between China and the Maldives have deepened, and the Maldives has joined Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. According to the Ministry of Commerce, in 2022, the bilateral ** amount will reach 4513.5 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 101%。