Xi eyes infrastructure in Maldives

The picturesque Maldives, with its stunning scenery and turquoise waters, has long had a hold on the imagination of Chinese people, and the growing links between the countries will take on a more substantial form with a range of key infrastructure initiatives.

A housing and a road project involving China was unveiled on Monday, part of a number of infrastructure projects that include building a landmark bridge and upgrading the main airport in the island country.

China will examine the viability of building a bridge linking the capital Male to the nearby island of Hulhule, where Ibrahim Nasir International Airport is located, President Xi Jinping told his Maldives counterpart Abdulla Yameen.