Statistics by the Maldives Customs Service have revealed that while China is one of the countries that imports the most goods to the Maldives, the east Asian nation is not among the countries to which the Maldives exports the most goods.

According to the import-export statistics for January 2025 released by Maldives Customs Service, Thailand is the country to which the Maldives exported the most goods. Thailand is followed by the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and neighboring India.

In January, the Maldives exported goods worth MVR 68 million to Thailand, the country to which it exported the most. Exports to the UK were worth MVR 25 million, MVR 15 million to Vietnam, MVR five million to Bangladesh, and MVR four million to India.

Although the Maldives and China have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), eliminating duties on many items imported from one country to the other, it is noted that there has been no positive change in the huge trade imbalance between the two countries.

While there are no significant exports from the Maldives to China, China imported goods worth MVR 1,043 million to the Maldives in January.

India was the country that imported the most goods to the Maldives in January. The neighboring country imported goods worth MVR 1,045 million to the Maldives.

Apart from India and China, the countries that imported the most goods to the Maldives were the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Singapore.

According to import-export statistics, goods worth MVR 5.2 billion were imported to the Maldives in January.