Maldives, China eye bridge project for Male airport
December 2, 2014, 8:11 am

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) and his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom jointly inaugurate a housing unit project in Male, Maldives, Sept. 15, 2014 [Xinhua]

Maldives and China on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a pre-feasibility study of a proposed bridge connecting the international airport to capital Male.

The contract to expand Male airport has been given to Beijing Urban Construction Group Company Limited after the Maldivian government cancelled a $511 million deal with an Indian firm two years ago.

“The bridge project is high on the Maldivian government’s priority list. Most of the preparation work is now complete,” said Maldives Housing Minister Mohamed Muiz who signed the agreement on Tuesday with Chinese officials.

China has been the biggest source of tourism in Maldives for the past four years, according to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing.

The estimated cost of the project is expected to be announced shortly.

The preliminary study will be followed by a project feasibility study and a design plan after which the two governments will explore options to finance the project, said the Maldives Minister.

During a visit to the strategic island nation in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested the bridge be named “China-Maldives Friendship Bridge”.

The planned bridge was first announced during former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s reelection campaign in 2008. The island economy is struggling with high levels of debt and a lack of foreign currency reserves.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had secured Maldives’ backing in September for his plan to build a “Maritime Silk Road”.

“China will encourage more Chinese enterprises to actively engage in the economic transformation of Maldives,” Xi said.

TBP and Agencies