MALE, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The sun shines on the blue waters at 4 degrees north latitude, and planes land smoothly at the Maldives' Velana International Airport along the coastline outlined by white sandy beaches.
During the "May Day" International Labor Day, tourists from all over the world are in an endless stream. In the VIP terminal, which has not yet opened, Chinese workers are busy: cutting trims, veneering, installing cabinet doors...... They are putting the finishing touches on the renovation work and working hard to ensure that the airport ancillary project is delivered on time.
This is the sixth Labor Day spent in Male by Sun Luzhen, Executive Manager of the Maldives Airport Reconstruction and Expansion Project of Beijing Urban Construction Group. He has the most "shallow" seniority in his team. He said that in recent years, whether it is a domestic holiday or a local festival, they have celebrated it as "Labor Day".
Sun Luzhen recalls that when he first came to the Maldives, the airport was very shabby, "not like an international tourist resort". Potholes, check-in windows, and limited passenger throughput have severely restricted the development of tourism, a pillar industry in the Maldives.
In 2014, China and Malaysia signed an agreement on the airport reconstruction and expansion project, and the gateway between the Maldives and the world began to change.
However, the project was not all smooth sailing at first. Zhao Guangyong, an employee of Beijing Urban Construction Group, said that the Maldives is short of materials, and almost all construction materials and equipment need to be imported, and the procurement and transportation cycle is very long. "When we first started working together, we were faced with differences in design philosophy and culture between the two countries, which often led to disagreements. ”
Starting with the construction of a new office building and a runway, the tacit understanding and trust between the two sides have been deepened through repeated exchanges and high-quality delivery of projects, and the Maldivian side has signed new projects with the Chinese side on many occasions. Today, the airport has a wider apron and more modern functions, more supporting facilities such as fire stations and fuel depots, and a new runway that can take off and land the world's largest aircraft...... Over the past 10 years, the Maldives Airport Reconstruction and Expansion Project has gradually expanded into an entire Maldives project cluster.
"Chinese companies are synonymous with quality, timeliness and professionalism, and even during the pandemic, all scheduled projects have been delivered on time. Mohammed Sola, chief development officer who has worked at Maldives Airports Limited for 24 years, said that thanks to the presence of Beijing Urban Construction Group, the airport has built and expanded about 250,000 square meters of apron area and reclaimed about 750,000 square meters of new land area in the past ten years, and the passenger throughput has increased significantly.
"Not only that, but whenever we encounter difficulties and need help, Chinese companies are never absent. Just a few days ago, the airport had a temporary power outage due to faulty cable equipment, and they made an emergency call to Chinese employees, Sora said. "Although the handling of this emergency was not written in the contract, the Chinese side immediately sent 50 employees to help us repair it, and the normal power supply was quickly restored. ”
With the completion and delivery of one project after another, the friendship between China and Malaysia has also deepened. Ibrahim Sharif Mohammed, CEO of Maldives Airports Limited, said that he was impressed by the fact that Chinese companies have shown goodwill and tolerance for different cultural customs by reasonably adjusting construction schedules and allocating working hours on important local religious festivals, and have gained friendship and respect from local people.
"During Ramadan, they never ate a bite of food or drank a sip of water in front of us. It is precisely because of the different cultures that our sincerity touches us even more. We get along very well and I often take my family to their canteen for Chinese food. Sharif said.
Lu Suyi, an employee of Beijing Urban Construction Group who married a young man from the Maldives seven years ago, said that whenever she chatted with her family, they would always say, "I hope Chinese companies will always be here", because the cross-sea bridge and modern airport that the Maldivians dreamed of have gradually become a reality. "They often say that as long as any project is handed over to China, it will definitely be done. ”
Bordered by the blue sea and white sand, the glass façade of the Velana International Airport building gleans. It is known that this airport has two "tangible wings" built by Chinese companies, carrying the dream of the Maldives' tourism industry to take off.