Maldives’ relations with India have soured due to the objectionable comments of its ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.
After this, both the countries signed 20 important agreements including tourism cooperation and announced to upgrade their bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership.
Muizzu said that he is honored that he has come to China on his first state visit and that he is the first foreign head of state to visit China this year.
He said this shows how much importance both sides attach to bilateral relations.
According to state news agency Xinhua, Xi stressed that China supports the Maldives in finding a development path that suits national conditions.
He said China firmly supports the Maldives in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity. The two Presidents also announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
“This afternoon, 20 important agreements were signed between the governments of Maldives and China in the presence of both Presidents,” the Maldives President’s Office said in a post on social media platform X.
These agreements include tourism cooperation, disaster risk reduction, maritime economy, strengthening investment in the digital economy and the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative.
China has also agreed to provide grant assistance to Maldives but the amount was not disclosed. Let us tell you that Muizzu and his wife Sajida Mohammed were warmly welcomed in Beijing.
President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted a state banquet in his honor.
The state visit of the Maldivian President to China comes in the backdrop of derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi by his ministers and the release of a report by the European Union election observation mission.
The report said the ruling coalition of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) instigated anti-India sentiments and attempted to spread misinformation in the 2023 presidential elections, which Muizzu won.
Muizzu is considered a pro-China leader. Recently some ministers of Maldives had made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi.
After that a large number of Indian tourists canceled their trip to Maldives. Maldives is an island nation dependent on tourism. Apart from talks with Xi, Muizzu is expected to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other senior officials. He will return to Male on 12 January.
Let us also tell you that Muizzu’s government has suspended three deputy ministers for derogatory posts against Modi on social media.
According to data released earlier by the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives, India remains the largest tourist market for the country in 2023. Last year, the highest number of Indian tourists arrived in Maldives at 2,09,198, followed by 2,09,146 Russian tourists and 1,87,118 Chinese tourists.
Post Views: 6