Mohamed Ashmalee, State Minister of Finance and Treasury of Maldives, speaks at a sub-forum of the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, Dec 17, 2015. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Just like companies such as Apple and Samsung, Chinese companies are also welcome to tap Maldives' market, said the island nation's finance and treasury minister on Thursday at the Second World Internet Conference.

Maldives is an independent country with independent culture and tradition, but many people don't realize the role that Maldives can play in the global economic development because we are a small country, said Mohamed Ashmalee, State Minister of Finance and Treasury of Maldives, in Wuzhen, East China's Zhejiang province.

However, Maldives has many projects that need further development and is willing to purchase services from Microsoft, Google and Apple as well as Chinese companies, added Ashmalee.

Consisting of more than 1,200 coral islands, the hot tourist destination nation encompasses a territory spreading over roughly 90,000 square kilometers.

Ashmalee made the remarks at the session of "Smart Cities: Global Perspectives" of the Digital China Forum during the ongoing World Internet Conference.

The Second World Internet Conference, the most high-profile Internet related event in China, is taking place in the picturesque water town of Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, Dec 16 to 18.

The conference, with a goal of "building a cyberspace community of shared destiny", has gathered together more than 2,000 participants, including state leaders, government officials, business leaders, Internet titans, and experts from more than 120 countries and regions.

The guests at 10 forums will exchange views on a wide range of topics such as Internet culture communication, Internet innovation and development, digital economic cooperation, cyber security, Internet plus, cyberspace governance and the digital Silk Road.