China and the Maldives have signed the Free Trade Agreement.

Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Maldives was signed Thursday afternoon. The agreement was signed as part of the current visit by President Abdullah Yameen on invitation of his counterpart President Xi Jinping.

The highly controversial agreement was signed by Minister of Economic Development Mohamed Saeed and Minister of Commerce of China Zhong Shan.

The agreements signed today are as follows:

• MoU between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Maldives on Cooperation within the Framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative
• Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Maldives
• Agreement of Economic and Technological Cooperation between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Maldives
• MoU on Cooperation in Human Resource Development between the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives
• Exchange Letter on the China-Aid-Micro-Grid Seawater Desalination Project Between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Maldives
• Exchange Letter of Feasibility Study on the China-Aid Municipal Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling Project Between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Maldives
• MoU between the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Maldives on Health Cooperation
• The Protocol on Establishment of Joint Ocean Observation Station between the State Oceanic Administration of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Environment and Energy of the Republic of Maldives
• MoU between China Banking Regulatory Commission and Maldives Monetary Authority
• MoU for International Cooperation Planning between Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Maldives and China Development Bank
• Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Relation to Joint Development of Airport Economic Zone Development in Hulhumale’, Republic of Maldives by and between Housing Development Corporation Limited and Beijing Urban Construction Group Corporation Limited
• Facility Agreement for “Design and Construction of Link Road Connecting Hulhule’ and Hulhumale’ Project” between Housing Development Corporation and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited