Ambassador of China to the Maldives Wang Lixin has stated that the development of Velana International Airport (VIA) will bolster economic development. She made the remarks during the ceremony held to sign an agreement, pertaining to the development of the previous runway of the airport.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Wang Lixin stated that the development of VIA symbolises the strong bilateral relations between the Maldives and China. She added that it also represents a remarkable achievement of China's Belt and Road Initiative. The ambassador highlighted the importance of developing the airport to enhance the operational capabilities of the airport and to bolster the Maldives' economic growth. She went on to describe the project as an engine which fuels economic growth, reaffirming China's unwavering commitment to support the Maldives.
The development of VIA's previous runway was contracted to China's Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG). It halted operations in 2022, when operations began on the Code F runway. Following this, the runway has been used as a taxiway for the past years.