On July 26, the Republic of Maldives will celebrate the 51st anniversary of its independence. Fifty-one years ago, President Ibrahim Nasir signed a historic agreement with the British government, securing full independence for the Maldives after years as a British protectorate.

Since its independence, the Maldives has been transformed into one of the most dynamic economies in South Asia, driven by its tourism industry.

In the early 1980s, with a population of 156,000, the Maldives was one of the 20 poorest countries in the world. Today, the country’s population is over 350,000; it is a middle-income country with a per capita income of more than $6,300.

The Maldives also has some of the best social indicators in the region and is one of the highest ranked in terms of human development in South Asia.

Under Abdulla Yameen, who assumed the presidency in 2013, the Maldives has embarked on a historic and ambitious project of economic transformation and nation-building.

The transformation will be driven by young people, enterprising businesses and facilitative government policies. The aim is to diversify the country’s economy, harness the potential of the Maldives’ strategic location and make it an economic giant of the Indian Ocean.

The ultimate goal is to double the nation’s per capita income and lift up the hundreds of thousands who call the island nation home.

The government has instituted liberal investment policies, including a Special Economic Zones Act to attract foreign companies.

As the president noted during his Golden Jubilee address to the nation in 2015, economic prosperity is a prerequisite for the people to reap the fruits of independence. Social harmony, peace, and prosperity cannot be achieved without economic self-determination and improved standards of living, he said.

Maldives Ambassador to China, Mohamed Faisal

The Maldives has maintained exceptional relations with the global community. Foreign policy respects the laws and traditions of neighbors and friends, as well as their territorial integrity and sovereign rights. The country is also creating friendly and mutually beneficial ties with every country that respects independence and sovereignty.

In 1972, seven years after its independence, Maldives signed an agreement with China establishing diplomatic relations, a relationship that has grown dramatically.

Today, China is one of the Maldives’ closest development partners, and the special relationship has been enhanced by commercial and trade links.

The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge project and the Airport Expansion Project, two of the largest infrastructure projects the country has ever started, are being financially assisted by China.

Maldivians hold the values of independence and freedom as the essence of identity. They look to harness youthful energy and the wisdom of elders and take lessons from previous generations to reach a new level of development.

Maldives Ambassador to China, Mohamed Faisal, contributes to the story.