The Maldives is an archipelago country with more than 1,000 islands scattered in the north-central Indian Ocean. Until recently, the only way for ordinary people to travel between them was by boat. During Chinese President Xi Jinping's 2014 visit to the Maldives, the two countries agreed to build a cross-sea bridge linking the capital, Malé, to Hulhulé Island, where the country's airport is located. Completed after nearly three years of work, the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, by facilitating connectivity within the Maldives, is boosting the country's economic development. It also stands as a symbol of fruitful cooperation between China and the Maldives.