HEAD OF STATE DIPLOMACY | THE BOAT OF FRIENDSHIP SAILS AGAININ THE ISLAND NATION OF MALDIVES, BRIDGES HAVE ALWAYS CARRIED PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS FOR A BETTER LIFE. NOWADAYS, A MAGNIFICENT BRIDGE SPANS OVER THE SEA, CONNECTING THE CAPITAL MALE WITH THE AIRPORT ISLAND. THE BLUE WAVES UNDER THE BRIDGE STRETCH FOR THOUSANDS OF HECTARES, AND THE CARS ON THE BRIDGE ARE BUSTLING WITH TRAFFIC. ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SIDEWALK, PEDESTRIANS OCCASIONALLY STOP TO TAKE PHOTOS. WHEN THE FLIGHT TAKES OFF OR LANDS, OVERLOOKING THE SEA, THIS 2000 METER LONG BRIDGE IS THE MOST EYE-CATCHING.THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE CHINA MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE CONNECTING THE CAPITAL OF MALDIVES, MALE, AND THE AIRPORT ISLAND.THIS LANDMARK IS THE CHINA MALAYSIA FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE, WHICH IS A LANDMARK PROJECT OF THE "THE BELT AND ROAD" JOINTLY BUILT BY CHINA AND MALDIVES. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR, BEIJING WELCOMED THE FIRST FOREIGN HEAD OF STATE TO VISIT CHINA THIS YEAR - MALDIVES PRESIDENT MOIZ.HE WAS A WITNESS AND WITNESS TO THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF THIS BRIDGE, SERVING AS THE MINISTER OF HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION OF MALDIVES AT THE TIME. HE WAS ALSO THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE MALAYSIAN SIDE OF THE BRIDGE AND HAD A SPECIAL EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO IT."A SYMBOL OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO PEOPLES"ON THE AFTERNOON OF JANUARY 10TH, PRESIDENT XI JINPING HELD TALKS WITH PRESIDENT MUZI AT THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE. PRESIDENT MUIZ MENTIONED IN PARTICULAR THAT MALAYSIA CHINA COOPERATION, ESPECIALLY THE JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF THE "THE BELT AND ROAD", HAS BENEFITED THE PEOPLE OF MALDIVES. THE MALAYSIA CHINA FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO PEOPLES. IT IS THROUGH THE ANCIENT MARITIME SILK ROAD THAT THE TWO PEOPLES, TRADITIONALLY FRIENDLY, ESTABLISHED FRIENDLY TIES.ACCORDING TO HISTORICAL RECORDS, AS EARLY AS THE MING DYNASTY IN CHINA, CHINESE NAVIGATOR ZHENG HE LED TWO FLEETS TO THE MALDIVES, AND MALDIVIAN KING YUSUF ALSO SENT ENVOYS TO CHINA THREE TIMES. THE MALE NATIONAL MUSEUM DISPLAYS LOCALLY EXCAVATED ANCIENT CHINESE PORCELAIN AND COINS, SERVING AS A HISTORICAL WITNESS TO THE FRIENDLY EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.ON THE FIRST STOP OF HIS VISIT TO CHINA, FUJIAN, PRESIDENT MUZI STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE ANCIENT MARITIME SILK ROAD MAP FOR A LONG TIME WHEN HE VISITED THE FUJIAN MUSEUM. HE WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE MALDIVES WAS MARKED AS AN IMPORTANT NODE ON THE MAP.THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES HAS REACHED A NEW LEVEL DUE TO THE HIGH-QUALITY JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF THE "THE BELT AND ROAD". ON AUGUST 31, 2018, A NEWLYWED COUPLE FROM MALDIVES TOOK A PHOTO WITH THEIR FAMILY ON THE NEWLY OPENED CHINA MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE.NEARLY FOUR YEARS LATER, THE CROSS SEA BRIDGE PROJECT, THE CHINA MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TO TRAFFIC, FULFILLING THE LONG CHERISHED WISH OF THE MALDIVIAN PEOPLE TO HAVE A CROSS SEA BRIDGE. MUIYZ ONCE SIGHED TO XINHUA NEWS AGENCY REPORTERS, 'WATCHING CHINESE BUILDERS STEP BY STEP TURN THE BLUEPRINT OF THE BRIDGE INTO REALITY, I FEEL EXTREMELY EXCITED.' AFTER ITS OPENING, THE BRIDGE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE TRAVEL CONDITIONS OF THE MALDIVIAN PEOPLE.ON THE OCCASION OF THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPENING OF THE CHINA MALAYSIA FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE ON AUGUST 30, 2021, MUZI EXPRESSED CONGRATULATIONS THROUGH VIDEO AND ONCE AGAIN THANKED THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR ITS SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LOCAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC LIFE. "MAY THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN MALAYSIA AND CHINA LAST FOREVERDURING THIS TRIP IN FUJIAN, PRESIDENT MUZI ALSO HAD A SPECIAL MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM CHINA COMMUNICATIONS CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTS SUCH AS THE CHINA MALAYSIA FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE.ALL ARE GOOD THINGS THAT BENEFIT PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODSIN RECENT YEARS, CHINA MALDIVES COOPERATION HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF MALDIVES, FROM THE OPENING OF THE CHINA MALDIVES FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE TO THE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF VILANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FROM SOCIAL HOUSING CONSTRUCTION TO THE "BRIGHT JOURNEY" ACTIVITIES, BRINGING TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE.HULHUMALE, CONNECTED BY THE BRIDGE, IS AN EMERGING CITY BUILT ON RECLAIMED ISLANDS, EMBODYING THE BEAUTIFUL EXPECTATIONS OF THE MALDIVIAN PEOPLE FOR DEVELOPMENT. NOWADAYS, A SERIES OF BRAND NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS STAND BY THE COAST, AND THE OPEN COMMUNITY IS CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL. ABOUT 4000 APARTMENTS CONSTRUCTED BY CHINA MACHINERY ENGINEERING CO., LTD. WILL HELP SOLVE THE LOCAL HOUSING PROBLEM. MANY LOCAL RESIDENTS REFER TO THESE COMMUNITIES AS' CHINATOWN '.THIS IS AN APARTMENT BUILDING CONSTRUCTED BY CHINA MACHINERY ENGINEERING CO., LTD. IN HULHUMALE.MAHMOUD JOUFER PARTICIPATED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING. HE RECALLED THAT HE FIRST CAME TO HULHUMALE IN 2008, WHEN IT WAS STILL VERY DESOLATE. NOWADAYS, PARKS, SHOPPING MALLS, CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUNDS, HOSPITALS, AND SCHOOLS ARE ALL AVAILABLE, AND HE HIMSELF SETTLED IN THE AREA. "I BELIEVE HULHUMALE WILL DEVELOP EVEN BETTER IN THE FUTURE.MALE ACTING MAYOR NARISH TOLD REPORTERS THAT THE CHINA MALAYSIA FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE HAS BROUGHT MORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND POPULARITY TO THE LOCAL AREA, AND THE HOUSING PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE HELPED SOLVE THE LOCAL HOUSING PROBLEM. "THESE ARE ALL GOOD THINGS THAT BENEFIT PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS.69 YEAR OLD AHMED CARLO IS A BENEFICIARY OF THE CHINESE MEDICAL TEAM'S "BRIGHT JOURNEY" ACTIVITY. TWO SONS ONCE TOOK AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO HAD SUFFERED FROM EYE DISEASES FOR MANY YEARS TO MULTIPLE HOSPITALS, BUT WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY OF SURGERY. IN 2023, AFTER THOROUGH EVALUATION, CHINESE MEDICAL TEAM DOCTORS SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED SURGERY ON THE ELDERLY. WHEN THE EYE MASK WAS REMOVED AFTER THE SURGERY, THE ELDERLY PERSON EXCITEDLY SAID, "DOCTOR, I CAN SEE YOUR BADGE NOW, THANK YOU!" THE ELDERLY PERSON'S SON ALSO POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SAYING, "SINCERELY THANK THE CHINESE DOCTORS." IN ADDITION TO TREATING DISEASES, THE CHINESE SIDE IS ALSO FOCUSING ON TRAINING LOCAL MEDICAL PERSONNEL AND STRIVING TO CREATE AN "UNBREAKABLE" TEAM OF OPHTHALMOLOGISTS FOR THE LOCAL AREA.ON FEBRUARY 4, 2023, CHINESE EXPERTS FROM THE CHINA MALDIVES OPHTHALMOLOGY CENTER CONDUCTED EYE EXAMINATIONS FOR LOCAL PATIENTS AT HULHUMALE HOSPITAL NEAR THE CAPITAL OF MALDIVES, MALE.ESTABLISHING A NEW BENCHMARK FOR CHINA MALAYSIA FRIENDSHIPTHE MALDIVES BOASTS CLEAR WATERS AND SERENE SANDS, PICTURESQUE SCENERY, AND IS HIGHLY FAVORED BY MANY CHINESE TOURISTS. IN 2023, CHINA AND MALDIVES WILL RESUME DIRECT FLIGHTS, AND THE CHINA MALAYSIA VISA FREE AGREEMENT WILL OFFICIALLY COME INTO FORCE. THE PERSONNEL EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL BE MORE CONVENIENT, AND TOURISM COOPERATION WILL BE STEADILY ACCELERATED. THE CONTINUOUS STREAM OF CHINESE TOURISTS HAS ALSO DRIVEN THE "CHINESE FEVER" IN MALDIVES. CHINESE UNIVERSITIES AND MALDIVES' VILA COLLEGE JOINTLY ESTABLISH A CHINESE LANGUAGE CENTER TO OFFER TOURISM CHINESE LANGUAGE TRAINING COURSES, ATTRACTING MANY TOURISM PROFESSIONALS TO APPLY.ON JANUARY 18, 2023, CHINA CAPITAL AIRLINES FLIGHT JD455 RECEIVED THE WATERGATE SALUTE AT MALE VILANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN MALDIVES.DURING THE MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO HEADS OF STATE, CHINA ANNOUNCED ITS SUPPORT FOR MORE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS FROM MALDIVES TO STUDY IN CHINA AND TO PROMOTE THE INCREASE OF DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. THE MALAYSIAN SIDE WELCOMES THE POSITIVE MEASURES TAKEN BY CHINA TO PROMOTE CULTURAL EXCHANGES AND LOOKS FORWARD TO MORE CHINESE TOURISTS VISITING MALAYSIA.MALDIVES' FOREIGN MINISTER MUSA ZAMIR TOLD XINHUA NEWS AGENCY THAT CHINA HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MALDIVES' MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERS FOR COOPERATION. "WE ARE FULL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE STRONG FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES, AND THIS VISIT HAS WITNESSED THAT THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAS REACHED A NEW HEIGHT. MALDIVES HAS BENEFITED A LOT FROM THE COOPERATION OF JOINTLY BUILDING THE THE BELT AND ROAD. IN THE FUTURE, IT WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT MULTI FIELD COOPERATION WITH CHINA, AND WELCOME AND ENCOURAGE CHINA TO INVEST IN MALDIVES."THESE ARE FOUR BRIDGES IN THE FIVE BRIDGE PROJECT CONSTRUCTED BY CHINESE ENTERPRISES IN HULHUMALE, MALDIVES.CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO MALDIVES WANG LIXIN STATED THAT THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL AND BROAD SCOPE FOR FUTURE COOPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND MALDIVES, WHICH CAN FURTHER ENHANCE MALAYSIA'S ABILITY FOR INDEPENDENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF LOCAL PEOPLE. MALDIVIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, POLITICAL PARTY REPRESENTATIVES, MEDIA, LOCAL AND OTHER FRIENDLY PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE HAVE VISITED CHINA IN SUCCESSION, WHICH HAS ENHANCED PERSONNEL EXCHANGES AND PEOPLE TO PEOPLE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. CHINA IS WILLING TO CONTINUE PROMOTING PEOPLE TO PEOPLE EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AND BUILDING A SOLID PUBLIC OPINION FOUNDATION FOR THE SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA MALAYSIA RELATIONS.THE MALAYSIAN SIDE LOOKS FORWARD TO TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY OF BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP OF COOPERATION TO FURTHER EXPAND NEW CHANNELS OF BILATERAL COOPERATION, INCREASE NEW CONNOTATIONS OF BILATERAL RELATIONS, PROMOTE HIGH-QUALITY JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF THE "THE BELT AND ROAD", PROMOTE MORE NEW DEVELOPMENT OF MALAYSIA CHINA RELATIONS, AND CREATE MORE BENEFITS FOR THE TWO PEOPLES.