The Chinese company Weihai QZ Blusea Foods Co. Ltd. and the Jingweidao brand team has successfully produced the first sample batch of canned tuna using fish caught in the Maldives.

Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam announced the development on X, expressing his congratulations to the Chinese partners involved. He described the moment as a proud achievement for bilateral trade and regional cooperation. The Minister also highlighted the presentation of the samples to the Maldives Ambassador to China, Fazeel Najeeb, as a symbolic gesture of the growing economic partnership between the two countries.

The collaboration signifies one of the first practical applications of the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement, which allows zero import duty for Maldivian fish products entering the Chinese market. This regulatory framework is expected to create new commercial pathways for Maldivian seafood, particularly in the high-value processed fish segment.

According to Minister Shiyam, the development reflects President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s strategic vision to the country’s fisheries industry. The current Administration is committed to expanding into new international markets while ensuring the sustainable use of marine resources and adding value to fish exports.