China has expressed strong interest in deepening cooperation with Malta in shipping and port logistics, citing the island nation’s strategic position in the central Mediterranean, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Thursday.
During an economic and trade cooperation meeting held in Beijing, the ministry told Maltese representatives that China is willing to strengthen “strategic alignment” with Malta, an EU member state, to expand collaboration in trade, logistics and infrastructure.
China and Malta have maintained close relations since establishing diplomatic ties in 1972. Valletta has positioned itself as a key partner for Chinese investment and engagement with the European Union, including access to the bloc’s vast single market.
Under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese state-owned and private companies have invested in Malta’s infrastructure sector. China Merchants Port Holdings holds a stake in Malta Freeport Terminals, one of the Mediterranean’s leading trans-shipment hubs.
Malta has also taken a relatively supportive stance on China-related trade issues within the EU, having been among five member states that voted against imposing tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles in 2024.
The latest talks underline Beijing’s efforts to strengthen logistics footholds along key maritime routes linking Asia, Europe and Africa, while reinforcing economic ties with strategically located EU partners.
