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

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

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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

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Maldives President Muizzu Arrives in China on Closely-Watched State Visit

15:10 08.01.2024

© AP Photo / Rafiq MaqboolMaldives President Mohamed Muizzu speaks during a plenary session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The president of the Maldives has suspended three of his deputy ministers for posting derogatory comments against India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Mohamed Muizzu suspended the three until further notice for their posts on X, formerly Twitter, which were in response to Modi’s posts promoting the pristine beaches of India’s Lakshadweep archipelago for Indian travelers. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool), File)

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu speaks during a plenary session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The president of the Maldives has suspended three of his deputy ministers for posting derogatory comments against India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Mohamed Muizzu suspended the three until further notice for their posts on X, formerly Twitter, which were in response to Modi’s posts promoting the pristine beaches of India’s Lakshadweep archipelago for Indian travelers. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool), File) - Sputnik India, 1920, 08.01.2024

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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).

Closely-Watched Visit

The 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).

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 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.

"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.