https://sputniknews.in/20240108/maldives-president-muizzu-arrives-in-china-on-closely-watched-state-visit-6121596.html
Maldives President Muizzu Arrives in China on Closely-Watched State Visit
Maldives President Muizzu Arrives in China on Closely-Watched State Visit
Sputnik India
Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to China comes against the backdrop of a diplomatic row between India and Maldives over derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi.
2024-01-08T15:10+0530
2024-01-08T15:10+0530
2024-01-08T15:10+0530
political affairs
india
china
maldives
xi jinping
ibrahim mohamed solih
ministry of external affairs (mea)
indian navy
narendra modi
indian ocean
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e8/01/08/6124237_0:0:3247:1827_1920x0_80_0_0_10e53be62a6f1e780765e87048455c4f.jpg
Maldives’ President Mohamed Muizzu on Monday arrived in China for a five-day visit till 12 January at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, an official statement said.Muizzu is also scheduled to attend the ‘Invest Maldives Forum’ and meet senior Chinese government officials as well as business leaders during his visit, the presidency said.China currently ranks as Maldives’ largest creditor, with Male owing nearly $1.3 billion to Beijing in debt repayments. Beijing also ranks as one of the country’s biggest trading partners and investors, with the two governments having inked a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2017.Maldives has also signed on to the Beijing-backed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).Closely-Watched VisitThe visit is the first state visit by Muizzu, who was sworn in power in November last year.Previously, he also visited Turkiye and Dubai to attend the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP28).The Maldivian President has sought to reverse the ‘India First’ Policy of the previous Ibrahim Mohamed Solih government, as he has demanded the end of the Indian military presence in the country after coming to power.Around 75 Indian military personnel are engaged in operations and maintenance of Indian platforms engaged in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in the country.Traditionally, New Delhi has remained the closest defence partner of the Maldives and the first responder to political and humanitarian crises in the country.The Maldivian Presidency has also said that it won’t renew the hydrographic pact with the Indian Navy.The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refused to comment on Muizzu’s China visit.However, New Delhi has maintained that it "closely monitors" all the developments taking place in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and South Asia.
https://sputniknews.in/20240106/modi-sends-out-strong-message-to-maldives-through-lakshadweep-visit-6097729.html
india
china
maldives
indian ocean
south asia
indo-pacific
Sputnik India
feedback.hindi@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2024
Dhairya Maheshwari
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e6/0c/13/138962_0:0:641:640_100x100_80_0_0_2cb44360dbcdf6d84bf4b299cd045917.jpg
Dhairya Maheshwari
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e6/0c/13/138962_0:0:641:640_100x100_80_0_0_2cb44360dbcdf6d84bf4b299cd045917.jpg
News
en_IN
Sputnik India
feedback.hindi@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik India
feedback.hindi@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Dhairya Maheshwari
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e6/0c/13/138962_0:0:641:640_100x100_80_0_0_2cb44360dbcdf6d84bf4b299cd045917.jpg
maldives news, muizzu china visit, muizzu china, boycott maldives news, maldives president, modi news, modi lakshadweep, india maldives row, derogatory remarks against pm modi
maldives news, muizzu china visit, muizzu china, boycott maldives news, maldives president, modi news, modi lakshadweep, india maldives row, derogatory remarks against pm modi
Maldives President Muizzu Arrives in China on Closely-Watched State Visit
Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to China comes against the backdrop of a diplomatic row between India and Maldives over derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi.
Maldives’ President Mohamed Muizzu on Monday arrived in China for a five-day visit till 12 January at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, an official statement said.
“During this visit, the Maldivian and Chinese governments will hold official talks and sign key agreements to improve trade, professional, and socioeconomic development in the Maldives. The visit aims to pave the way for technological and other collaborations between the two countries,” said a statement from the Maldivian Presidency.
Muizzu is also scheduled to attend the ‘Invest Maldives Forum’ and meet senior Chinese government officials as well as business leaders during his visit, the presidency said.
China currently ranks as Maldives’ largest creditor, with Male owing nearly $1.3 billion to Beijing in debt repayments. Beijing also ranks as one of the country’s biggest trading partners and investors, with the two governments having inked a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2017.
Maldives has also signed on to the Beijing-backed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The visit is the first state visit by Muizzu, who was sworn in power in November last year.
Muizzu has broken from the tradition of past Maldivian leaders who called on India for their maiden visit after coming to power.
The Maldivian President has sought to reverse the
‘India First’ Policy of the previous I
brahim Mohamed Solih government, as he has demanded the
end of the Indian military presence in the country after coming to power.
Around 75 Indian military personnel are engaged in operations and maintenance of Indian platforms engaged in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in the country.
Traditionally, New Delhi has remained the
closest defence partner of the Maldives and the first responder to political and humanitarian crises in the country.
The Maldivian Presidency has also said that it won’t renew the hydrographic pact with the Indian Navy.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refused to comment on Muizzu’s China visit.
"It is for them to decide where they go and how they go about their international relations," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a briefing in New Delhi last week.
However, New Delhi has maintained that it "closely monitors" all the developments taking place in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and South Asia.
