China-Maldives Trade Increased by 18.74 Trillion in Ten Years

With the evolution of the global economy, the bilateral trade between China and the Maldives is expected to continue to grow and sail toward a more prosperous future. As a country along the "Belt and Road", the Maldives has gradually developed its economy and improved its people's living standards, benefiting from the materials, technology, and funds obtained from this growth in bilateral trade. The trade cooperation between China and the Maldives achieves complementary advantages, becoming a new driving force for the economic development of both countries and providing a successful example for regional and even global economic cooperation.

The "Belt and Road" is an international cooperation plan proposed by China in 2013, aimed at promoting global trade and economic development by strengthening cooperation between countries. The plan includes two main routes: the Silk Road Economic Belt (land) and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (sea). Its core is to connect China with various parts of the world by building railways, highways, ports, and other infrastructure to promote trade and cooperation.

The list of countries along the "Belt and Road" is extensive, including multiple countries and regions in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Since its proposal in 2013, the "Belt and Road" has undergone ten years, during which time China has jointly built a large number of infrastructure projects with many countries, signed various cooperation agreements, and formed a broad cooperation network. Today, the "Belt and Road" has become an important international cooperation platform, helping countries develop together and create more economic opportunities.

The trade volume between China and "Belt and Road" countries continues to grow, adhering to the principle of voluntariness, without any conditions attached, and there is no discrimination. Regardless of a country's wealth, everyone can participate and share in the development results, truly achieving "everyone earns together."

Additionally, the China-Europe Railway Express, as an important component of the "Belt and Road", has built a "Northern Bridge" connecting China and Europe, significantly shortening cargo transport times, reducing transportation costs, and accelerating logistics speeds. The emergence of the China-Europe Railway Express has facilitated trade between China and Europe, promoting economic development for both sides.

In the first eleven months of this year, China’s total imports and exports to "Belt and Road" countries reached 18.74 trillion yuan, an increase of 6%. Among them, exports were 10.52 trillion yuan, up 8.2%; imports were 8.22 trillion yuan, up 3.4%. Data from the General Administration of Customs shows that from 2018 to 2024, bilateral trade between China and countries including Vietnam, Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and India has maintained rapid growth.

Besides the China-Europe Railway Express, the "Belt and Road" has also improved the infrastructure levels of countries along the route through the construction of key engineering projects, driving local economic development. For example, the Maldives has built its first cross-sea bridge—China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, solving residents' travel difficulties and improving transportation conditions. Landmark projects such as the China-Laos Railway, Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, Peljesac Bridge, Gwadar Port, and Leke Port have not only enhanced local infrastructure levels but also promoted economic development and created employment opportunities.

China has opened up a development path for the world through practical actions, truly achieving "everyone earns together."