Maldives President goes to China for five days amid dispute with India

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is in China for a five-day state visit, arriving amid a diplomatic row with India after derogatory comments surfaced from Maldivian ministers aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his visit, President Muizzu engaged in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, receiving a red carpet welcome and a 21-gun salute.

The specifics of their discussions were not disclosed by official media.

Considered a pro-China leader, Muizzu's visit to China coincides with the ongoing dispute with India, spurred by disparaging remarks made by some Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Modi. These comments led to the cancellation of Indian tourist reservations, a significant group in the tourism-reliant nation.

Apart from his meeting with President Xi, Muizzu is slated to confer with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and other senior officials before his return to Male on January 12. He commenced his visit by spending two days in the Chinese city of Fujian before reaching Beijing.

Addressing the Maldives Business Forum in Fujian, Muizzu appealed to China for increased tourist traffic to his country, emphasising the nation's pre-Covid reliance on the Chinese market and urging efforts to regain that status.

Simultaneously, Muizzu's government took action against three deputy ministers for their social media posts, suspending them due to the derogatory nature of their comments. The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry also condemned these remarks.

India has traditionally been the largest tourist market for the Maldives, with the highest number of visitors arriving from India in 2023, followed closely by Russia and China.

In his address, President Muizzu lauded China as a close ally and development partner, specifically praising the Belt and Road Initiative's (BRI) infrastructure projects in the Maldives, describing them as groundbreaking.

Muizzu also highlighted the importance of implementing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between the Maldives and China in December 2014, emphasising its significance in strengthening commercial ties and boosting bilateral trade and investments, particularly in the export of fish products to China.

The bilateral trade between China and the Maldives in 2022 amounted to USD 451.29 million, mainly from China's exports to the Maldives.

Additionally, Muizzu sought investment from Chinese companies for 11 projects at the Maldives Investment Forum, further underscoring the nation's eagerness for bilateral economic collaboration and development initiatives.