A Memorandum of Understanding signed this morning between China and Malta provides for cooperation in energy and infrastructural projects including a possible new Marsamxett breakwater and monorail systems.

The agreement was signed in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing following a meeting between Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Dr Muscat said Malta and China have made great strides in deepening their relations.

The MoU also provides for cooperation in the energy sector, a new air services agreement for flights between the two countries, and the possible setting up of a an aircraft maintenance base in Malta.

Another area of cooperation is for the possible building of a breakwater at Marsamxett.

The MoU provides that the two countries will set up a Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Cooperation on energy will be focused on investment and technology transfer particularly for the production of renewable energy systems, regional energy servicing centres, waste to energy plants and research on green and low-carbon technology.

INFRASTRUCTURAL COOPERATION

The two sides agreed to cooperate in infrastructural and transport projects including a breakwater (in Marsamxett), the Gozo bridge and monorail projects, housing and telecommunications.

They will also cooperate in financial services and encourage financial institutions to operate in each other’s territories.

Other areas of cooperation will be culture, tourism and education, including an expansion of the Confucius Institute at the University of Malta. The Office of Chinese Language Council International will be encouraged to set up Confucius classrooms in some Maltese secondary schools to promote the study of Chinese as a foreign language.

The two countries will also work to strengthen the Mediterranean regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Malta.

(See the text of the MoU on pdf below)

Beijing meeting audio (mp3 file)

Mr Li in greeting Dr Muscat said he was very pleased that they were meeting for the second time in a year, reflecting the close and balanced relationship between the two countries – a model for other countries.

Dr Muscat said great strides had been made to deepen the relationship between the two countries and he said he was impressed by the speed in which the two countries had managed to negotiate such an important agreement between the two countries, an agreement suggested by the Chinese Premier himself.

GOZO BRIDGE 'TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE'

Dr Muscat this morning also had talks with top officials of China Communication Construction about their studies on the feasibility of building a bridge between Malta and Gozo.

The officials said they had established that building the bridge was technically feasible.

Dr Muscat asked them to broaden their study to cover environmental aspects.

They also discussed other possible infrastructural projects.

The meeting between the Chinese and Maltese delegations.The meeting between the Chinese and Maltese delegations.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.