Amid row with India, Maldives President tells China to ‘send more tourists’
Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday requested China to “intensify” efforts to send more tourists to his country amid a diplomatic row over derogatory remarks by his ministers against India and Prime Minister Modi. Muizzu’s comment comes as he is on a five-day state visit to China.
In his address to the Maldives Business Forum in Fujian province, Mohamed Muizzu termed China as the island nation’s “closest” ally.
“China remains one of our closest allies and development partners,” he said, praising Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects launched by Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2014. The project “delivered the most significant infrastructure projects witnessed in Maldivian history”, he said. The Maldivian president urged China to bolster the flow of its tourists to the Maldives.
“China was our (Maldives’) number one market pre-Covid, and it is my request that we intensify efforts for China to regain this position,” he said.
The two countries also signed a USD 50 million project to develop an integrated tourism zone in Maldives, it was reported. This comes as a diplomatic row erupted between the two counties following remarks by some Maldivian ministers against PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit post. All three deputy ministers were suspended while the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) strongly condemned the comments.
In his speech, Mohamed Muizzu- seen as a pro-China leader- said that his administration is focused on diversifying Maldives’ economic base and ensuring economic security. He also focussed on the quick implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed with China in December 2014.
He said the FTA is a symbol of the close commercial ties between the two countries, adding, “The FTA’s aim to boost bilateral trade and investments, especially increasing our export of fish products to China is a key priority for us through the FTA.”
The president also sought investments from Chinese companies for 11 projects at the Maldives Investment Forum which included relocation of the Male Commercial Port to Thilafushi, the Velana International Airport development project and the construction of 15 more airports.