On October 15, Ambassador Wang Lixin attended the 2024 Chinese Ambassador Bursary Award Ceremony and presented awards to 32 students from the Maldivian National University (MNU) and the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM). Mr. Ahmed Shafeeu, State Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Dr. Aishath Adam, Vice Chancellor of the MNU, Ms. Aishath Waheedha, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the IUM, and faculty members and students from the two universities were present.

Ambassador Wang said that, as President Xi Jinping has said, youth are the most active and dynamic force in society; the hope of the nation lies with the youth, and the future of the nation is in the hands of the youth. Early this year, President Dr. Muizzu made a successful state visit to China, bringing China-Maldives to a new high. She encouraged the Maldivian students to study diligently, enhance their skills, strive for the China Ambassador bursary, and become ambassadors of friendship between China and the Maldives, contributing to national development and China-Maldives friendship. She welcomed more Maldivian students to visit China or study in China with the support of Chinese Government’s scholarship. She said that a group of 12 students from MNU, IUM would visit China in the next few days.

The Maldivian side expressed sincere gratitude to President Xi and the Chinese government for their support of higher education and youth development in the Maldives. They noted that the scholarship program exemplifies the profound friendship, mutual support, and strong partnership between the two countries, and hoped that China will continue to support its educational endeavors to facilitate human resources development and self-sustainable development of the Maldives.