On September 7, Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives H.E. Kong Xianhua attended an exchange seminar with Maldivian participants of a training program in China for local officials. Counsellor Zhang Xu of the Chinese Embassy in Maldives was also present.

The Maldivian participants said that the visit to China gave them a first-hand impression of the achievements of China’s rapid development, and changed many of their previous perceptions and impressions of the country. Through on-site visits to areas including one-stop public services, digital governance, urban development, and cultural preservation, they gained a deeper understanding of China’s people-centered development philosophy and governance practices. They unanimously agreed that these experiences are worth drawing on in the Maldives, particularly in areas such as public services, healthcare, and municipal administration.

Ambassador Kong stated that exchanges and mutual learning serve as an important bridge for enhancing understanding and friendship. He expressed hope that China and the Maldives will continue to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and share experiences, building an invisible bridge in areas such as technology, professional expertise, and governance and administration. He also called for efforts to ensure that the more outcomes of such exchanges benefit more people in both countries, while jointly exploring further opportunities for cooperation and development.