Maldives’ President Mohamed Muizzu has said that his government was willing to “expand” the country’s main airport and commercial port under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to a presidency statement on Tuesday.
Addressing the ‘Invest Maldives Forum’ in Fuzhou, Muizzu described Beijing as one of the country’s “closest allies” and development partners.
“The President spoke on the longstanding relationship between the Maldives and China, which dates back to the Maritime Silk Road… He also noted that the Maldives became a party to President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative in 2014, which delivered significant infrastructure projects in the Maldives,” the official statement said.
In his speech, Muizzu also lauded the “fruitful” government-to-government and business-to-business cooperation between the two nations.
“The President also highlighted the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between China and the Maldives, citing that the FTA would boost bilateral trade and investments, particularly by increasing the export of fish products to China, marking it as a key priority explored within the FTA,” according to the statement.
The Maldivian President landed in Fuzhou on Monday on his first state foreign visit after assuming power in November.
Muizzu Hopes Maldives-China Cooperation to Scale to ‘New Heights’
On Monday, Muizzu met senior provincial officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as well as business leaders from major infrastructure companies such as China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) and Hunan Construction Investment Group (HCIG), the Maldivian presidency said.
In a meeting with Fujian Governor Zhao Long, Muizzu remarked that “Maldives valued the China-Maldives relationship and expressed his hopes to increase cooperation in multiple areas”, a statement noted.
At a meeting with CCCC representatives, Muizzu described Beijing as a “valued ally and integral collaborator” in the development journey of the Maldives.
The Maldivian leader expressed hope that bilateral relations will scale “new heights” under his dispensation.
Muizzu’s visit comes against the backdrop of a diplomatic row between Maldives and India, which has been the island's closest political and defence partner for decades over derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by now dismissed ministers of the government.
The Maldivian government has distanced itself from the remarks, although they have sparked widespread calls for “boycotting” Maldives as a tourist destination in India, which has been the biggest source of tourists for Male.