On 12th July 2018, the Chinese government donated a sea ambulance to Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The handover ceremony and press conference were held at the Coast Guard Building.

In accordance with the reached consensus of the official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Maldives in 2014, the sea ambulance donation agreement was signed between the two countries in 2015.

The donated sea ambulance was equipped with advanced technology and a whole set of medical facilities aboard, including scan services, ECG services, oxygen and IV services.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Chinese navy representative emphasized that the sea ambulance was a long-lasting symbol of the friendship between the two nations. It will help boost the capacity of the MNDF to provide emergency medical services to far-flung islands of the country.

State Minister Mohamed Zuhair thanked the generous assistance from the Chinese government and spoke highly of China-Maldives relations. He was also convinced that the modern and advanced sea ambulance will provide more timely medical services to distant islands and save more lives.

Now, people can easily find the sea ambulance off the shore of Malé, always ready for anyone in need. With the sea ambulance shuttling between the islands across Maldives, it has become a floating symbol of China-Maldives friendship in the new ear.