The first sea shipment of bluefin tuna from Malta has arrived in China, a senior official of the island country said on Tuesday, hailing the export a testament to fruitful Malta-China cooperation.

This sea shipment, following several smaller air cargo exports, came after the Chinese and Maltese governments inked a bilateral export agreement in November 2023.

Alicia Bugeja Said, parliamentary secretary for fisheries, aquaculture, and animal rights, noted that exporting to China has helped local operators diversify their markets.