Male, January 6 (newsin.asia): China is to build an Olympic-standard stadium in Hulhumale, near here, for the Indian Ocean Island Games to be be held in the Maldives in 2023.
On Sunday, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih met with Zhang Lizhong, the Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives and officials of the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), at the President’s Office to discuss potential areas of cooperation, especially in the field of infrastructural development.
At the meeting, also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof, officials of CMEC shared the proposed conceptual designs of the Olympic-standard stadium to be developed in Hulhumalé. The concept proposed by CMEC centred around the Maldives’ natural resources and environment.
Speaking at the meeting, President Solih highlighted the vibrant bilateral relations that exist between the two countries and noted the importance of China as a development partner for the Maldives. He also emphasised China’s continued role and assistance in infrastructure development in the Maldives.
The new stadium is to be built in preparation to host the 11th Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) scheduled to be held in 2023.
(The featured image at the top shows President Solih with Zhang Lizhong, the Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives and officials of China Machinery Engineering Corporation)