Sinamale’ Bridge: A monument to China-Maldives cooperation

On Friday, the capital of the Maldives, Male’, and its surrounding areas marked a significant milestone -the 6th anniversary of the opening of the Sinamale’ Bridge, also known as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.

This bridge, which connects Male’ City, Hulhule’ - where the national airport is located, and Hulhumale’, officially opened on August 30, 2018.

Since opened six years ago, the bridge has improved local transportation and has had a transformative impact on the socio-economic development of the Male’ region.

This crucial USD200 million infrastructure project was built under the China Belt and Road Initiative, and financed in large part with Chinese aid.

The construction of the bridge, which many Maldivians once thought an impossible dream, set a precedent for building a cross-sea bridge on a coral reef foundation in an open, deep-sea environment.

Realization of a years-long ‘bridge dream’

According to the China Communications Construction Second Harbor Engineering Company (CCCC SHEC), which carried out the project, it had been no easy feat.

The company overcame challenges such as complex coral reef geology, long-period deep-sea waves, and extreme conditions of high temperature, salinity, and corrosion.

They also faced difficulties related to material shortages, aviation height restrictions, and harsh environmental conditions.

Despite these challenges, the Second Harbor Engineering Company completed the bridge in just 33 months, fulfilling the Maldivian people’s “bridge dream” and ending the nation’s history of having no cross-sea bridges.

In March, Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin and Maldivian Infrastructure Minister Dr. Abdulla Muththalib signed an implementation agreement on behalf of China and Maldives to assist in the follow-up maintenance and technical assistance project of the bridge.

According to the agreement, the Second Harbor Engineering Company, as the implementation company, is responsible for the initial repair and preventive maintenance of the bridge, improving the maintenance records of the bridge, conducting bridge inspection and evaluation, and training maintenance technicians from Maldives.

The project implementation period is 36 months, aiming to ensure the long-term safe operation of the bridge and cultivate a group of bridge maintenance and upkeep technical talents for the Maldives.

This maintenance project will generate a series of intellectual achievements, including a bridge management system serving bridge inspection, assessment, and maintenance, training a sufficient number of bridge maintenance technicians for the Maldives side, and completing various inspection and monitoring work during the assistance period.

A symbol of friendship

With the implementation of the bridge maintenance project, the Sinamale’ Bridge continues to serve as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between China and Maldives, exerting its important economic and social benefits.

In a message celebrating the 6^th anniversary of the Sinamale’ Bridge, Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu commented that the remarkable feat of engineering not only connects Maldivian islands, but also symbolizes the enduring partnership and mutual trust between China and Maldives.

“The bridge continues to be a testament to our shared vision of progress, unity, and prosperity. May this bridge serve as a beacon of cooperation for generations to come,” he added.

Meanwhile, China’s top diplomat in the Maldives, Ambassador Wang, noted the transformative impact the bridge has had on the everyday lives of Maldivians.

She expressed confidence that the China-Maldives friendship will continue to grow stronger in the years ahead, bringing more tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Over the past six years, the Sinamale’ Bridge has not only symbolized the deep cooperation between the two nations in infrastructure development, but also embodied the core values of building a "community with a shared future for mankind," emphasizing global collaboration and shared development.

It continues to stand as a monument to China-Maldives cooperation.