China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development has created new opportunities for cooperation with the Maldives, according to Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Kong Xianhua.
In a statement, Ambassador Kong said both countries recognise medium- and long-term national planning as a vital tool for guiding modernisation amid what he described as “unprecedented global changes unseen in a century”.
He highlighted strong potential synergies between China’s Five-Year Plan and the Maldives’ national development strategy, Resilient Maldives 2025, noting that both frameworks emphasise the importance of building a solid foundation rooted in long-term vision. The Ambassador pointed to China’s accumulated experience in organisational capacity, policy coordination and execution across successive five-year plans as a valuable reference for the Maldives in setting phased development goals, maintaining economic stability and achieving sustained social progress.
Looking ahead, Ambassador Kong identified emerging industries in China that could support the Maldives’ economic diversification efforts. He outlined potential areas for cooperation, including green energy, the ocean economy, digital development and infrastructure. China’s advances in renewable energy, advanced materials and digital technologies, he said, could complement the Maldives’ development priorities.
The Ambassador also noted that China remains the Maldives’ largest source of tourists, adding that continued growth from the Chinese market would provide long-term support for the country’s tourism industry.
He further stated that China–Maldives relations, which date back more than 600 years, are expected to deepen through cooperation aligned with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and the Maldives’ long-term development vision for 2045.