The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allocated a plot of land in capital city Malé’s suburban extension Hulhumalé to build the new Chinese Embassy.

While the land is located in the Diplomatic Enclave in Hulhumalé, the plot was handed over at a special ceremony on Wednesday by Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. The ceremony was attended by several ministry officials as well as the Chinese Ambassador, Zhang Lizhong.

Communications Director at the Ministry, Miuvaan Mohamed revealed that while the plot in the reclaimed Phase II area in Hulhumalé has been handed over, previously the ministry had handed over plots to build embassies from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. More plots are to be allocated in the future, on the reciprocity basis, said the minister.

Plots are to be allocated under the procedure mandated by the government, once countries request for them and they will all be allocated in the Diplomatic Enclave, revealed Miuvaan.

The decision to move the embassies to the capital’s suburbs followed the congestion in Malé, in order to maintain the security standards at the embassies.

The current Chinese Embassy is located in Henveiru ward of Malé.