Op-ed: May the light of civilizational mutual learning illuminate China-Maldives economic integration path

The following is an op-ed written by Kong Xianhua, the Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives.

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Several days ago in Addu, I had the privilege of wearing a Feyli and participating in the traditional Eid al-Adha celebrations. I personally experienced the fiery passion and heartfelt friendliness of the Maldivian people, which made me fall even deeper in love with this beautiful country.

What is mutual learning among civilizations? My recent experience embodies the answer. We come from different countries, with varied skin colors, diverse beliefs, and distinct languages. Yet through communication, we achieve mutual respect and appreciation, which are the very charm of civilizational exchanges.

Our world encompasses over 200 countries and regions, more than 2,500 ethnic groups, and multiple religions. It is the diverse civilizations that enrich our planet. However, the erroneous notion of civilizational superiority is fueling clashes between cultures, triggering regional conflicts and localized wars that flare up intermittently. This inflicts the scourge of war upon people, once again risking plunging humanity into the abyss of conflict.

In 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, calling for joint advocacy for respect for the diversity of civilizations, advocacy for the common values of humanity, advocacy for the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and advocacy for robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

This offers China's approach to epoch-defining questions such as "how different civilizations should coexist" and "what pathways human civilization should pursue". By weaving threads of stability through our turbulent world and offering a beacon of hope, China demonstrates its responsibility and commitment as a major country.

China-Maldives relations stand among the earliest beneficiaries of civilizational mutual learning. Over six centuries ago, China’s naval explorer Zheng He's fleet traversed oceans to the Maldives, becoming envoys of bilateral cultural exchanges, while Maldivian King Yusof also sent envoys to China on three different occasions. Today, Chinese porcelains in Malé's National Museum silently testify to our traditional friendship forged through trade and cultural ties.

A lone sailboat cannot weather stormy seas, but vessels rowing in unison voyage far and steady.

In my two months here, I've witnessed the Maldivian people's yearning for development. China has long provided assistance and support for Maldives' socio-economic progress, proving itself a steadfast development partner. Landmark projects—from the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge and Velana International Airport Upgrade to social housing—have delivered transformative impacts on Maldives’ development.

Last year, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu paid a successful state visit to China. The two heads of state announced to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and jointly committed to building a China-Maldives community with a shared future. Moving forward, I offer three perspectives worth pondering.

Development demands confidence. It begins with recognizing one's strengths. Though compact in land area, the Maldives commands an expansive maritime domain. Its unique atoll ecosystems harbor not only breathtaking scenery but immense blue resources. With a highly educated population, advanced social cohesion, and rich talent pool, the nation possesses fundamentals for further development. Crucially, the Maldivian people's historic resilience in safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity has forged essential preconditions for progress.

Development demands patience. A country needs commitment to its own path. China's modernization—lifting 800 million people from poverty in 40 years—proves there's no universal template. Finding the right model requires generational perseverance through trial and innovation. China stands ready to provide support within its own capacity to the Maldives, enhance mutual exchanges on governance experience and jointly achieve high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Through joint exploration of new economic frontiers, we can set new benchmarks for China-Maldives friendship.

Development demands action. It is important to seize tangible opportunities. China's contribution to global economic growth averaged 38.6 percent from 2013 to 2021, higher than that of the Group of Seven countries combined. Our world-leading technologies in blue economy, green economy, and digital economy offer actionable pathways. Through technology transfer and talent exchange, we will enable the Maldives to accelerate aboard China's development momentum toward self-sustaining prosperity.

For those with shared aspirations, no ocean is too vast. May China and the Maldives, through civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, weave hearts into harmony and fuse visions into unity, co-authoring new chapters of co-prosperity.