On the morning of November 18, 2025, led by the Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province, a delegation of Maldivian youth visited College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, Chengdu University, and carried out a half-day cultural visit and exchange activity. Liu Min, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province, and Hu Xiuqiang, Full-time Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Chengdu University, attended the activity.
Liu Min, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province, extended a warm welcome to the delegation on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province. She pointed out that although Sichuan and the Maldives are separated by mountains and seas, cooperation in fields such as culture, education, economy and trade has been continuously deepened in recent years. In particular, the signing of a Memorandum of Friendly Cooperation between Sichuan Province and Addu City of the Maldives in 2024 has laid a solid foundation for youth exchanges between the two places. She encouraged Maldivian teenagers to take this visit as an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of Sichuan, actively pass on friendship, and strive to be young envoys of China-Maldives friendship.
In his speech, Hu Xiuqiang, Full-time Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Chengdu University, introduced the international school-running characteristics of Chengdu University. He stated that the university has always been committed to promoting exchanges between China, ASEAN countries and the countries co-constructing the "Belt and Road" Initiative, and also hoped that in the future, with the support of the Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province, it will explore more possibilities with the Maldives in youth exchanges, cultural experiences, academic research and other aspects, and jointly promote mutual learning among civilizations.
Mufeed Ali, head of the Maldivian delegation and a department-level official of the Ministry of Education of the Maldives, expressed his gratitude for the warm reception from the Chinese side. He stated that China's profound historical heritage, scientific and technological innovation achievements and educational development achievements will all become a strong driving force to inspire the younger generation of the Maldives. This visit has enabled Maldivian teenagers to personally feel the extensive and profound Chinese culture and the vigorous vitality of modern education, which will further promote practical cooperation between the two countries in the fields of education and culture. He also hoped that Maldivian students will seek knowledge with curiosity, communicate with respect, and proudly pass on the torch of Maldives-China friendship.
The two sides exchanged gifts and took a group photo.
After visiting the campus, the Maldivian teenagers participated in the university's admission policy briefing and held discussions with Chinese and foreign students from the School of Foreign Languages and College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts. Subsequently, the delegation gained an in-depth experience of the production process and cultural connotation of traditional Chinese handicrafts, tried their hands at traditional calligraphy, and deepened their understanding of Chinese culture through immersive interaction.
This visit is an important practice for Sichuan Province to deepen friendly exchanges with the Maldives and expand youth diplomacy, and it has also injected new vitality into further promoting educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between Sichuan and the Maldives.
