A Chinese company has produced its first sample batch of canned tuna using fish exported from the Maldives, highlighting a new phase in trade relations under the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement (CMFTA). The batch, developed through a collaboration between Weihai QZ Blusea Foods Co. Ltd. and the Jingweidao brand, was presented to Maldivian officials at a ceremony in China.
The initiative was made possible through the duty exemptions offered by the CMFTA, which took effect at the beginning of the year. Under the agreement, up to 296 types of seafood, including tuna, can be exported from the Maldives to China without incurring import taxes. This arrangement enables competitive pricing that aligns with international standards and is intended to support expanded trade and investment between the two countries.
Government officials have framed the development as part of a wider strategy to diversify export destinations and increase the global reach of sustainably sourced fish products from the Maldives. The effort is seen as aligning with broader national goals for fisheries sector modernisation.
However, the move has prompted pushback from opposition figures who argue that the benefits of such arrangements remain limited when value addition is done abroad. Concerns have been raised about the lack of domestic processing, with critics pointing to missed economic opportunities and jobs that could have been created through local canning and branding.
Questions have also been raised about the current health of the fisheries industry, including reports that key state-owned enterprises are struggling to secure international orders and are instead focused on the domestic market. Some processing facilities are reportedly operating at a loss, and the prices offered to local fishermen have not shown significant improvement.
While the CMFTA includes favourable rules of origin for wholly obtained fish products and a framework for customs cooperation and technical standards, critics contend that more strategic planning is needed to ensure that trade agreements translate into tangible domestic gains. Calls continue for clearer policies on boosting value-added exports and retaining a greater share of the economic value generated from the Maldives’ most significant natural resource.
