Tag: Maldives China

Maldives Police Arrests Man for Allegedly Threatening To Bomb Indian High Commission

Following the threat, the police have increased security at the Indian high commission and the Chinese embassy.

New Delhi: Amidst concerns about rising anti-India rhetoric in the Indian Ocean nation, the Maldives police announced on Saturday that it had arrested a man for threatening to bomb the Indian high commission.

The announcement comes a day after the Maldives foreign ministry advised the media that publishing “false news” against foreign diplomatic personnel would be detrimental to the country’s foreign relations.

The Indian high commission had last month written a letter to the Maldivian government over articles and posts which “attacked the dignity” of its diplomatic staff.

According to the Maldivian police, a 42-year-old man was arrested following a threat to bomb the Indian high commission in a tweet. The probe is being conducted by the Serious and Organized Crime Department.

Following the threat, the police have increased security at the Indian high commission and the Chinese embassy, said the press note. As per the Maldivian foreign ministry, security had been beefed upon the request of the two diplomatic missions.

The Maldivian police also pointed out that providing security to diplomatic missions was a responsibility of security services.

As per a report in local news website Sun, the Maldivian police said that urged all parties to be “more responsible in disseminating information” as putting diplomatic personnel at risk has the potential of disrupting diplomatic relations.

“Furthermore, Maldives Police Service instructs all parties not to engage in any act which may compromise the safety and security of diplomatic missions of foreign countries stationed in Maldives,” said the press release, as translated by Sun.

A couple of hours after the report, another local news website, Mihaaru, identified the arrested man as an activist from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

This is a twist in the tale as the anti-India campaign has been a political initiative of the opposition party in order to target the MDP-led ruling alliance for its close ties with the South Asian giant.

Also read: India Asks Maldives to Act Against ‘Malicious’ Media Reports Targeting High Commission Staff

Relations between India and Maldives had earlier been fractious, as a perception had gained ground that Abdulla Yameen’s PPM government laid out the red carpet for China to increase its presence in the strategically-located nation.

However, there had been considerable improvement in relations between India and Maldives since Ibrahim Solih won the presidential elections after defeating Yameen in 2019.

The MDP had on Friday issued a strong statement condemning the local news website, Dhiyares, for publishing “defamatory propaganda which is only motivated by the desire to sow discord and animosity”.

Maldivian parliamentary speaker Mohamed Nasheed, who is also a former president, had tweeted on Friday that “hostile” and “disrespectful” language was being deployed by some quarters against India.

He also urged the opposition and critics to “maintain a certain standard when speaking about foreign diplomats appointed to work in the Maldives”. Nasheed is currently in Germany where he travelled for medical treatment after an attempted attack through a bomb blast.

As per media reports, the Maldives parliamentary committee on independent institutions had asked the Maldives Media Council to look into the reports on Indian diplomats published by the website.

The co-founder of Dhiyares, Ahmed Azaan has tweeted that he has written to international media watchdogs that he will be arrested on “trumped-up charges” for his reports on activities of the Indian high commission.

After Fire at SBI and Anti-India Protests, Maldives Beefs up Security for Indian High Commission

The government handed over the security of the diplomatic premises from the police to Maldives National Defence Forces.

New Delhi: After a major fire damaged the office of the State Bank of India and opposition parties held a major rally through the streets of the capital against Indian development projects, the Maldives government on Saturday upgraded the security of the Indian high commission in Malé by handing over the perimeter to Maldivian defence forces.

Indian sources confirmed that Maldives had handed over the security of the diplomatic premises from the police to Maldives National Defence Forces. This is the first time that armed security personnel will be guarding the Indian diplomatic mission, since Maldivian police had been unarmed.

It is learnt that the Maldives government had increased the security on their own. There had been no request from the Indian side.

Sources stated that the Maldivian government had beefed up the security following a massive fire at a high rise building, half of whose floors are occupied by State Bank of India on Friday night. “We don’t know yet if it was an accident or sabotage. The police investigation is going on, but the government thought it prudent to increase security for Indian diplomatic assets,” a senior Indian official told The Wire.

In a statement, SBI Maldives, which is one of the biggest banks in the Indian ocean nation, stated that there was “substantial damage” in all the five floors that housed its offices. However, the bank announced that it would resume banking services on Sunday.

Besides the fire, the threat perception to the Indian high commission had also increased due to a high-voltage rally by the opposition on the same day, sources stated.

Also read: Maldives: India Bids to Overtake China in Funding ‘High Visibility’ Infrastructure

Earlier on Friday, the opposition coalition of Progressive Party of Maldives and People’s National Congress held a number of rallies across the nation to protest the so-called “selling off Maldives” to India.

In the capital, around 350 motorcyclists came out onto the streets with banners and flags, which was a major show of strength by the opposition in the small nation. The opposition demonstrations were also demanding the release of former President Abdula Yameen, who is currently in jail on money-laundering charges.

“Most of these motorcyclists were part of the gangs who had been patronised by the previous regime. So if anti-social elements are on back on the streets, increasing security of Indian assets becomes vital,” added diplomatic sources.

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and former president Mohamed Nasheed arrive at an election campaign rally ahead of their parliamentary election on Saturday, in Male, Maldives April 4, 2019. Photo: Reuters/ Ashwa Faheem

Maldives foreign ministry sources added that the motorcycle rally was being held in “direct contravention of the guidelines put in place by the Health Protection Authority, given the community spread of COVID-19 in the capital city”.

They asserted that security measures that have been instituted “are part of a routine security exercise in the Greater Male Region”.

The trigger for the Maldivian opposition protests, as per sources, was the slew of announcements made by the Indian external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, which included funding for the largest infrastructure project in the Maldives.

During a video conference with his Maldivian counterpart, Jaishankar had announced that India would fund the Greater Malé Connectivity Project that could potentially overshadow China’s Sinamale bridge that cost over $200 million. He also added that India would give another USD 400 million line of credit, appending to the USD 800 million soft loan already being used to finance high impact projects in the Maldives.

Sources claimed the opposition was trying to corner the Ibrahim Solih government on its ties with India as New Delhi has been able to deliver on many of the projects that the president had requested after his election victory. “The opposition had assumed that the projects would get delayed and they will be able to cache onto the dissatisfaction over it”.

Highlighting the strengthened partnership with India under President Solih and his close ties with Indian PM Narendra Modi, sources in the Maldivian foreign ministry added that both countries are committee to “delivering results”. The number of development projects being undertaken with Indian financial support are progressing at excellent speed and will soon deliver their intended benefits to the people of the Maldives,” they said.

Also read: A Visual Guide to the External Affairs Ministry’s Share of the Budget 2020 Pie

With an ultra-nationalist, Islamist platform and accusing the government of “selling” to India, the opposition is hoping to see a recap of the events that led to the fall of Mohamed Nasheed-led MDP government in 2012. Nasheed’s forcible resignation had been preceded by months of anti-GMR and anti-India protests by the opposition parties, which snowballed into a mutiny by security agencies in February.

However, sources asserted that the likelihood of the opposition’s current anti-India protests being similarly successful was unlikely due to the leadership. “Solih is a very seasoned, solid person. He is not going to take any impetuous steps unlike Nasheed, who was a maverick,” they stressed.

(The article has been updated to include comments from sources in Maldivian foreign ministry)

Maldives: India Bids to Overtake China in Funding ‘High Visibility’ Infrastructure

During a meeting between foreign ministers S. Jaishankar and Abdulla Shahid on Thursday, India also extended a financial package to the archipelago nation.

New Delhi: Two years after China completed the Maldives’ biggest infrastructure project till date, India is attempting to overshadow Beijing by financing a multi-island connectivity proposal envisaged to be longer than the Sinamalé Bridge.

India’s decision to finance the Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP), along with new budgetary support and an air travel bubble, was announced by external affairs minister S. Jaishankar during a meeting with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid on Thursday.

While the Maldivian government highlighted the $250 million financial package, the Indian side gave top billing to the investment in GMCP.

The Maldives China Friendship project, a 1.39-kilometre bridge linking the capital city Malé to Hulhule island, was opened in April 2018. Then Maldives president Abdulla Yameen, whose term witnessed strained ties with India and stronger alignment with China, had described the $200 million project as the “biggest achievement in our diplomatic history”.

After the opposition MDP candidate Ibrahim Solih defeated Yameen, India has been trying to leverage its friendlier disposition to expand its presence in the strategically located Indian Ocean archipelago.

‘Largest civilian infrastructure project’

Announcing the decision to support the GMCP, Jaishankar noted, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release, that it will be the “largest civilian infrastructure project in the Maldives”. The financial package will have a grant component of $100 million and a new Line of Credit of $400 million.

An electoral promise of President Solih, the project will connect Malé with three neighbouring islands through a bridge and causeway link that will be 6.7 kilometres long. “Once completed, this landmark project will streamline connectivity between the four islands, thereby boosting economic activity, generating employment and promoting holistic urban development in the Malé region,” said the Indian foreign ministry.

It is said that the Maldivian president had reportedly sought India’s aid for the project during Jaishankar’s visit to the country in September 2019.

According to government sources, the “high visibility” GMCP will render the Maldives China Friendship bridge ‘insignificant in comparison’. “It will help in demonstrating India’s overarching presence in the Maldives through a high-visibility project in the Greater Malé region and showcase India’s expertise in conceptualising and implementing a complex infrastructural project of this scale,” they said.

India had previously extended an $800 million line of credit, which is being used to implement seven projects ranging from a water supply and sewerage system to a port project.

An aerial view of the Maldives China friendship bridge. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Panda 51 CC BY SA 4.0

Extension of financial assistance

For the Maldives, the key assurance received during the meeting was the extension of financial assistance.

The Maldives foreign ministry headlined the readout of the video conference – “extends financial support of 250 million US Dollars to the Maldives”. The Indian press release stated that the “exact modalities of the loan arrangement are being finalised by the two sides”.

“Given the financial challenges faced by the Maldives due to the COVID-19 situation and India’s commitment to assist the Maldives in its economic recovery, EAM announced that the Government of India has decided to extend in-principle urgent financial assistance to the Government of Maldives, by way of a soft loan arrangement,” said the MEA press note.

Indian sources pointed out that India had earlier signed a $400 million bilateral currency swap agreement with the Maldives, out of which $150 million had already been withdrawn.

“The Government of Maldives can draw the remaining $250 million anytime till July 2021 to increase forex liquidity and exchange rate management. On the GoM’s request, the currency swap agreement has been further extended for a period of one year,” the sources said.

Tourism and travel

The restrictions on travel and lockdown have badly impacted the Maldives due to its dependence on tourism, with the government projecting a GDP contraction of 11% this year.

Last month, the Maldives opened its international airport to foreign tourists after a gap of nearly three months.

Jaishankar announced that India will create an air travel bubble with the country, with the first flight expected to commence on August 18. Until now, India has largely negotiated air travel bubbles with western countries, so this is the first in the neighbourhood.

“He (the Maldivian foreign minister) emphasised the importance of easing travel, especially for Maldivians seeking to visit India for urgently required medical treatment, as well as Indian tourists wishing to visit the Maldives,” said the Maldivian statement.

A resort island in the Maldives. Photo: Reuters

Besides, India and Maldives agreed that a direct cargo ferry service, announced during the Indian PM’s visit last year, will “commence shortly”.

“A direct cargo ferry service presents an opportunity for India to replace other countries and become the top trade partner of Maldives. In this context and with many bilateral projects slated to commence in the next few months, it is the right time to start a cargo ferry service with the Maldives,” explained government sources.

India has also offered a larger annual quota for this year of supply of essential commodities as defined by the 1981 bilateral trade agreement.

The MEA also added that President Solih is likely to visit India this year “subject to the COVID-19 related conditions”

Interview | No Need to Play India, China Against Each Other: Maldives Foreign Minister

Abdulla Shahid said, “India has always been, always will be our best friend. The previous government had a very bad experience by trying to push away India.”

New Delhi: It has been over a year since the Maldives threw up a surprise and overwhelmingly voted for the opposition to return to power.

After estrangement during the tenure of President Abdulla Yameen, the first year of Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih has entailed a return to the ‘India First’ policy. However, while China’s presence has become low-profile, Beijing remains an important partner for the Maldives due to its generous funding profile.

In a sign of the return of normalcy of bilateral ties, the Joint Commission meeting, that sets the agenda for the relationship, will be held on Friday after a gap of four years. It will be chaired by Indian external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid.

A former parliament speaker, Shahid has been at the forefront of returning the Maldives to the international community.

In an interview to The Wire in New Delhi, Shahid said that he had expressed disappointment at the pace of the re-induction of Maldives into the Commonwealth. The current Maldivian speaker Mohamed Nasheed had earlier told The Wire that he was concerned that the Commonwealth Secretary General’s previous consultancy with the Yameen government may have impacted the process.

He spoke about the state of bilateral relations with India and whether he was satisfied with the current pace of work in development projects. He asserted that the government wanted to make sure that it was following all rules and procedures in implementing the development projects which would impact progress – but it was essential to ensure that resources were not misused as the previous government had done.

Also read: Commonwealth Chief Accused of Bias After Maldives’ Re-Entry Still Not Cleared

The foreign minister also answered questions about the de-registration of a civil society group, Maldives Democracy Network (MDN) for its allegedly anti-Islamic content in a report published four years ago.

Within the last one year, Maldives’ judiciary has undergone a full makeover. Shahid explained why this was necessary.

The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Can you spell out the agenda for the joint commission meeting?

This is the sixth joint commission meeting. The last joint commission meeting was held in 2015. Thereafter, relations had gone south between the Maldives and India. After the new government came in, the friendship that began on the 17th of November, 2018 between President Solih and Prime Minister Modi has strengthened… there has been a lot of high-level visits. This year has been full of activities.

After a four-year absence, the joint commission, co-chaired by Dr Jaishankar and myself, will be sitting down to review what has been on the table and to set out the agenda for the future.

What has been driving this relationship between our two countries is the direct contact between the two leaders. From November 2018, the senior leaders have met more than 2-3 times. Just a week back, they met again via video link. Every time they meet, they put out a more ambitious agenda. It is up to officials to implement it. So, it will be good to sit down in Delhi and review what has happened and set up the agenda for the next two years.

Are you satisfied with the pace of execution of the projects?

All I can say is that people in Delhi as well as in Malé, are putting 100-150% effort into it. But after all, we are all humans. So, there is a limit to what can actually be done in reality. But, there is no limit to our desire and expectation.

But, also what we are trying to do, here in Delhi and Malé, we have agreed that our projects will be transparent. It would be not fraught with corruption and other faults that were part of the previous regime, who were mis-utilising foreign aid.

Also read: Maldives Defence Minister: No Need for Close Military Ties With Countries Other Than India

We came in promising good governance. So good governance, democracy, these are things that do not necessarily give too much room for fast-paced execution. Because there are certain rules to be obeyed. It is not like what one can do things in a dictatorship. In the end, when things were done in that manner, it was realised that the exact thing could have been done for a lesser amount.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid meets Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House on December 13, 2019. Photo: MoFAmv/Twitter

What is happening with the projects between India and Maldives is that proper planning is put into place, proper studies are done – and the proper procedures are being followed.

But even with all this, I am happy to say that soon we are going to see several of the projects start physically.

What do you mean by increasing transparency in India-backed projects?

Indian aid packages come through Exim bank. So, we are following Exim bank procedures to the letter. EXIM bank is a commercial entity, who are liable to the financial procedures and protocols of not only Indian but also international standards. So, we will adhere to these standards and we are doing it. We are also very sensitive to our own laws that have been instituted and we are following it

How much of the line of credit has been utilised?

I can say that the port project is moving quite well. The land reclamation for that project has been awarded. The agreements for Addu integrated project is on the verge of being concluded. We should see ground-breaking in a couple of months in the water and sanitation projects.

The entire bench of the Supreme Court has been just recently changed. What is the goal of the government on the judiciary – which seems to be the main reform priority for the government?

Would the issue of commonwealth membership come up in your discussions with the Indian side?

Yes, of course. I will be thanking Dr Jaishankar and the Indian government for the outstanding support that they have given for our cause. The (Commonwealth) secretary-general has finally, earlier this month circulated her report to all member states. We are very hopeful that we are going to be back in the commonwealth.

Also read: After Hiccups, India and Maldives Target Economic Cooperation

So you will be back in the commonwealth at the Commonwealth heads of government summit at Rwanda (in June 2020)?

I am not waiting till Rwanda summit. I want the Maldives in before that.

She (the secretary-general) has given a deadline of the end of this month for states to raise any objection to the Maldives becoming a member. She has also recommended that Maldives membership be fast-tracked like that of the Gambia. I am expecting the secretary-general to write to the President early next year. Of course, once we receive the letter, we will send a formal application which will be circulated to the heads of government for endorsement.

Did you expect the process for the Maldives return to Commonwealth to take this long?

To tell you frankly, I am disappointed. I have expressed my disappointment to the secretary-general more than once. She also tells me that she is making sure that all procedures and protocol are being followed.

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: Reuters

You have an ‘India First’ foreign policy – but you also have a relationship with China. How are you able to walk the fine line between these two countries?

India has always been, always will be our best friend. The previous government had a very bad experience by trying to push away India. But India is there in the north. It has assisted us in every difficulty we have had. India is the only country geographically placed with the necessary resources and the necessary goodwill to come to the assistance of the Maldives. Now the relationship is much closer. We don’t see our relationship with any other country having any impact on our relationship with India.

We do have a relationship with China and to be fair, they have been very generous to the people of Maldives. But, there is no need to play one against one another. Doing that will hurt everyone.

The opposition had a very close relationship with the previous Sri Lankan government and especially, former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. How do you see your relationship with Sri Lanka under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa?

The relationship between the Maldives and Sri Lanka goes beyond government. It has been there from time immemorial. Governments come and go, but the relationship flourishes. What happens in Sri Lanka impacts the Maldives and what happens in the Maldives, impacts Sri Lanka. After Malé, Colombo has the second-highest concentration of Maldivians. So, we engage with every government and with everyone, we have a good relationship. It is for the people of Sri Lanka to decide on their leadership. But, whoever is there, Maldivian people will have good relations.

Also read: Interim Budget: Maldives Aid Allocation for 2019-20 Quadrupled

Abdulla Shahid with Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Photo: MoFAmv/Twitter

The new Maldives government seems to have concentrated domestically in changing the judiciary. The entire Supreme Court bench has been changed. Why has the government made this a priority?

We came into government promising judicial reforms. Since the new constitution was promulgated in 2008, the one branch of government that has totally failed is the judiciary.

I was the speaker of the parliament in the first five years. With much difficulty, I was able to keep the parliament functioning as it is supposed to be independent of the government. But during President Yameen’s period, we saw the parliament being hijacked by the government and the military was forced to enter the house. The military was controlling the parliament during most of the term. Several members were evicted from the house, including President Solih and I. Some members of parliament were disqualified by the judiciary. There was little activity in parliament in the last five years.

When we examined what had happened, we saw a finger of the judiciary at every stage, stirring and disrupting the process. Investment confidence in the Maldivian economy for foreign investors had been lost. There was no inflow of Foreign Direct Investment. The entire integrity of judiciary was tarnished. That is the reason we had to make it our number one priority.

If you recall, in 2013, the judiciary had fixed the elections, hand in hand with the government. It was the judiciary which fixed the parliamentary elections in 2014 by removing the election commissioner and the deputy just a week before the elections. So, they played very dirty.

They also faced the wrath of President Yameen towards the end of his term, when he had his military go into the Supreme Court and arrest the sitting Chief Justice Ali Hameed.

So our number one priority is to re-establish the priority, give the much-needed confidence to the people and the international community, to international investors. This is to bring back some sanity in the country.

While there was a lot of hope with this government, one issue on which there is disappointment is about the treatment meted out to Maldives Democracy Network. Why was it necessary to ban the organisation?

We came to power as a government promising rule of law. Yes, MDN is an organisation which worked very closely with us during our time as the opposition. It was a most painful decision for the government to take. When you look at the report that was published by them, it was very unfortunate that there were parts of it which were contrary to law. The police and the Islamic ministry saw the contents of it and tried to take action that was prescribed in law.

It wasn’t the easiest of actions. But we also had a look at decisions taken by some of the other countries like Denmark, Austria and the European court of human rights. It had been decided ridicule of prophet and such language is not deemed as human rights or freedom of expression.

Also Read: Maldives Govt Tells NGO to Stop Work Over ‘Anti-Islamic’ 2015 Report

It was a very painful decision. But, we also do not want to give the signal that the space for NGOs is being limited. We will be talking to NGOs and with their views, we will have a review

Earlier, they [NGOs] were registered under the home ministry. When we came to power, we desired to give more space to civil society. President Solih created the ministry for community development to provide more space for civil society. We will guarantee their space.

Maldives: President Yameen Challenges Result of Presidential Poll

Critics are wary of Yameen, who ran the islands with an iron hand, jailing political opponents and Supreme Court justices.

Colombo: The president of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, challenging his defeat in last’s month election in the island nation, which has been in political upheaval since the declaration of emergency this year.

Yameen conceded defeat after an official count showed joint opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had polled 16.8% more votes in a surprise result. But opposition members have worried about a smooth transition of power, due on November 17.

Also Read: You Have to Be Blind Not to Read the Signs: Ex-Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed

Yameen’s supporters had complained about the rigging of votes and fraudulent ballot papers, his lawyer Mohamed Saleem told reporters after approaching the top court.

“There are a lot of complaints from supporters,” he said. “We decided to submit the case after going through those complaints. President Yameen did not want to let this go as the concern is about the rights of his supporters.”

Critics are wary of Yameen, who ran the islands with an iron hand, jailing political opponents and Supreme Court justices.

In February he declared a state of emergency to annul a court ruling that quashed the convictions of nine opposition leaders, including former president Mohamed Nasheed.

Complaints about the election result came from voters as well as monitors, Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives said in a statement.

Also Read: Yameen Concedes Defeat, Modi Speaks to President-Elect Solih

The Election Commission said the vote had been free and fair, with a turnout of 89.2%.

The Maldives, located near key shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean, has become important as China and India compete for influence in the region.

China is engaged in building up the islands’ infrastructure as part of its Belt and Road Initiative to boost trade and transport links across Asia.

(Reuters)

Nasheed’s Claim of Land Grab Is Meant to Serve ‘Certain Political Purposes’: China

In a recent interview, Nasheed said that one of his priorities on returning to power would be to spearhead an international convention against ‘land grab’ by foreign countries in the disguise of investment.

In a recent interview, Nasheed, hinting at China, had said that one of his priorities on returning to power would be to spearhead an international convention against ‘land grab’ by foreign countries in the disguise of investment.

Mohamed Nasheed. Credit: Wikimedia

New Delhi: The Chinese embassy in India has refuted the Maldivian opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed’s claim that the Asian giant has been “land grabbing”, claiming that the former president is indulging in political one-upmanship.

In a recent interview, Nasheed had said that one of his priorities on returning to power would be to spearhead an international convention against ‘land grab’ by foreign countries in the guise of investment. The former Maldives president, who is on self-exile after being allowed to leave jail for treatment abroad, has been highly critical of the Abdulla Yameen government’s apparent laying down the red carpet for Chinese investment in the Indian ocean nation.

He has repeatedly claimed that China has made unusually high investments to build resorts in 17 islands in  Maldives. Nasheed believes that the rate of investment in those projects would make them economically unviable and, therefore, these assets have a strategic role.

The Maldivian opposition has been suggesting that China’s strategic inroads under the presidency of Yameen requires a more pro-active stance from India. Raising the presence of China, New Delhi’s pressure is solicited by the Maldivian opposition to put pressure on Yameen to end the state of emergency and facilitate inclusive presidential elections.

In a statement issued on Monday, the spokesperson of Chinese embassy in India Ji Rong issued a statement on the “false remarks in the Indian media” by President Nasheed. “These allegations are apparently groundless with no regard to facts,” said the Chinese diplomat.

Asserting that Chinese projects have been widely welcomed, Ji Rong said, “As a matter of fact, when Nasheed was the president, China and Maldives have already launched relevant cooperation projects”.

“The “land grabbing” allegation by Nasheed is apparently meant to serve certain political purposes of him,” he added.

Also read: Nasheed: ‘India Has the Imagination and Tools to Get its Way With the Maldives Government’

Following Nasheed calling for Indian military presence in Maldives, Beijing had asserted that the emergency in Maldives was an “internal affair”. This was reiterated by the Chinese embassy spokesperson on Monday.

“China believes the current situation in Maldives is the internal affairs of Maldives and should be properly resolved through dialogue and negotiation by various parties in the country. We believe the Maldivian government and people have the wisdom and ability to properly handle the problems they face and restore order in the country according to law,” said Ji Rong.

India had also put up a ‘keep off’ sign, when it had unusually responded to media reports of talks between China and Maldives. “We note that China has said that Maldives government has the ability to protect the security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Maldives. We hope that all countries can play a constructive role in Maldives, instead of doing the opposite,” Indian foreign office spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on February 9.