HAIKOU /China/, November 9. /TASS/. The resort city of Sanya in China’s southernmost province of Hainan plans to step up investment cooperation with the Republic of the Maldives and the United Arab Emirates, Sanya Ribao reported.

According to the newspaper, a government delegation from Sanya visited these countries last week. The purpose of the trip was to strengthen cooperation ties in the maritime economy, tourism, and the cultural, humanitarian, and financial spheres.

Sanya Ribao noted that during the visit, representatives from Sanya’s departments overseeing trade, investment, and tourism, as well as members of the city’s central business district administration, held meetings with authorities and business circles in the Maldives and the UAE, reaching a broad consensus. These contacts are expected to further increase the openness of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

In particular, delegation members engaged in in-depth negotiations with the leadership of several Maldivian companies on issues related to the construction and repair of yachts, as well as their import and the supply of related components. Sanya representatives invited these companies to a special exhibition area at the annual China International Consumer Goods Expo in Hainan in the spring. Discussions also focused on repairing and jointly leasing high-end vessels, as well as creating customized marine tourism products.

During meetings with Maldivian officials, the Sanya administration promoted cooperation in marine fisheries, tourism, yachting, aviation logistics, manufacturing, and vocational training. The parties established contacts on issues related to the construction of a fisheries and maritime logistics hub on the southern atoll of Seenu Atoll (historically and officially known as Addu Atoll), the development of green energy, and the supply of seafood to global markets via Hainan Province. A bilateral intergovernmental memorandum of understanding on trade and economic cooperation was also signed, along with a framework agreement with a company on strategic cooperation in the field of marine aquaculture.

During its visit to the UAE, the Sanya delegation traveled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where it held talks with local investment firms. Sanya Ribao pointed out that China’s southernmost provincial government organized a seminar in the UAE focused on developing the Hainan Free Trade Port sector. As a result, the parties strengthened their ties in areas such as culture, tourism, wellness vacations, duty-free retail, cruise ships and yachts, cross-border financial services, and deep-sea and breeding projects in southern latitudes.