President Muizzu Calls for Chinese Partnerships That Deliver Jobs and Skills
- President Muizzu urged China-Maldives partnerships that deliver jobs, skills and industries beyond capital investment.
- The forum convened over 100 participants and 40+ Chinese firms, with five MOUs planned to strengthen ties.
- Opportunities span fisheries, renewable energy, food security, digital technology and more, supported by a new Foreign Investment Act and Vision 2040.
- Between January 2025 and August 2026, the Maldives imported USD 440 million from China, with USD 124 million under the Free Trade Agreement.
The Maldives is seeking to turn its economic ties with China into investment that develops new industries, creates jobs and expands opportunities for local businesses, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu told the China-Maldives Investment Cooperation Forum.
Speaking at the forum held alongside Maldives Expo 2026, President Muizzu said the country remained open to responsible investment and was committed to helping it succeed. He stressed that the value of foreign investment should extend beyond capital to the skills, industries and employment it brings.
The one-day event at Barceló Nasandhura brought together more than 100 participants, including representatives from over 40 Chinese companies. Jointly organised by the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade and the Chinese Embassy, the forum was scheduled to include the signing of five memorandums of understanding aimed at strengthening business ties.
Trade under the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement formed a central part of the President’s remarks. Between January 2025 and August 2026, the Maldives imported approximately USD 440 million worth of goods from China. About USD 124 million, representing more than a quarter of that total, entered under the agreement, which took effect on 1 January 2025.
President Muizzu said the next priority was to generate greater value from the relationship through commercial partnerships and wider benefits for Maldivian communities. He identified premium fisheries products, local craftsmanship and services as areas with potential in the Chinese market, inviting Chinese enterprises to work with Maldivian businesses on processing, supply chains, distribution and market access.
The President linked the investment appeal to Vision 2040, the government’s goal of making the Maldives a fully developed nation by 2040. Achieving that ambition, he said, would require economic diversification, innovation and sustained partnerships with investors.
He also highlighted the introduction of a new Foreign Investment Act, replacing legislation that had governed foreign investment for more than four decades. He described the reform as a means of improving transparency, policy certainty and investor confidence.
Investment opportunities identified in his remarks included renewable energy, food security, logistics, advanced fisheries processing, digital technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, financial services and sustainable urban development.
Chinese Ambassador Kong Xianhua outlined potential cooperation in practical technologies suited to the Maldives. These included smart greenhouses, hydroponics and water-saving irrigation to increase local food supplies, alongside rooftop and floating solar, energy storage and microgrids. He also called for investment in local talent so that cooperation would develop skills and support Maldivian entrepreneurs.
The forum forms part of the administration’s wider effort to attract foreign investors. Business forums have been held in China, the United Arab Emirates, India, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Pakistan, including events in three Indian cities.
According to the Economic Ministry, those forums have contributed to increased enquiries from prospective investors and a rise in registered investments.
