The Invest Maldives forum is held on Jan 9. [Photo/Fujian Daily]

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu expressed his desire for the Maldives to become further integrated into the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) during the Invest Maldives forum, which kicked off in Fuzhou, Southeast China's Fujian province on Jan 9.

Muizzu also said he hopes for both sides to collaborate in multiple fields.

Organized by the Maldivian government, the forum highlighted the long-standing cooperative ties between the two sides.

This visit marks Muizzu's first official state visit to a foreign country since assuming the presidency.

According to Muizzu, Maldives is currently deepening economic reforms, promoting infrastructure construction, increasing the usage of renewable energy, strengthening ecological and marine resource protection, and diversifying the tourism industry. He also welcomed Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in and start businesses in the Maldives.

During the forum, Zhao Long, governor of Fujian province, stated that Maldives is one of the first countries to join the BRI and is a world-renowned tourist destination. As a core area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Fujian has seen increasingly close exchanges with local authorities in the Maldives in recent years, and economic and trade cooperation has continued to deepen.

Zhao expressed hope that entrepreneurs from Fujian would invest in the Maldives, participate in local infrastructure construction and operation, and strengthen investment cooperation in fields such as tourism, agriculture and fisheries, ports, logistics, and hotel management.

This forum also featured project cooperation signings and the promotion of investment opportunities in the Maldives. Nearly 400 representatives from Chinese-funded enterprises in the Maldives and well-known companies from Fujian province, such as CATL, Fuyao Glass, and ANTA Sports, participated in the event.