- Sunday, November 24, 2024
Beijing remains one of Male’s closest allies and development partners, the Maldivian president, who is currently on a state visit to China, said.
By: Shubham Ghosh
AMID a diplomatic row with India after some of his government’s now suspended officials made controversial remarks against prime minister Narendra Modi over his recent visit to the Indian island chains of Lakshadweep in the Indian Ocean, Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday (9) appealed to China to “intensify” efforts to send more of its tourists to his country, which is known worldwide for its tourism industry.
Muizzu, who is perceived to be pro-China, called China his country’s “closest” ally in his address to the Maldives Business Forum in the host nation’s Fujian province.
“China remains one of our closest allies and development partners,” he said.
Read: Maldives foreign minister says remarks do not reflect government position
Muizzu, a former mayor of Maldivian capital Male, reached China on Monday (8) on a five-day state visit.
The row between India and the Maldives also erupted around the same time.
Read: Posts against Modi: Indian travel agency suspends Maldives flight bookings
The Maldivian president praised China’s Belt and Road Initiative projects launched by his counterpart Xi Jinping a decade ago, saying they “delivered the most significant infrastructure projects witnessed in Maldivian history”, according to his speech.
He also urged Beijing 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,” according to a readout posted on his official website.
His appeal to China for more tourists comes at a time when several Indian tourists cancelled their plans to visit the Maldives in the wake of the row. The Indian Chamber of Commerce also gave a call to Indian trade bodies to boycott the island-nation and focus instead on developing Lakshadweep.
The Maldivian government also swung into damage control following the remarks made by the government officials and said they did not reflect Male’s official position.
According to data released by the Maldives tourism ministry earlier, India has remained the largest tourist market for the country in 2023.
The highest number of visitors to the Maldives were from India, with 209,198 arrivals, followed by Russia in second place with 209,146 arrivals, and China in third place with 187,118 arrivals.
In 2022, India remained the top Maldives tourism market, with 240,000 arrivals. Russia followed closely in second place with 198,000 tourists, and Britain ranked third with over 177,000 arrivals.
Before COVID, China held the top spot with over 2.80 lakh tourists but is currently struggling to revive its domestic and foreign tourism due to a nearly four-year lockdown policy and the continued slowdown of its economy.
As a result, Chinese tourists who travelled abroad for holidays in millions before COVID are now restricting themselves given the economic slowdown.
Regarded as a pro-China politician in the Maldives, Muizzu told the Forum that his administration is focused on diversifying Maldives’ economic base and ensuring economic security while continuing to strengthen and drive the tourism industry and boost visitor numbers.
He also said that his administration is committed to the quick implementation of the free trade agreement (FTA) signed with China, describing it as a symbol of the close commercial ties between the two countries.
Maldives and China signed the FTA in December 2014 during the then pro-China president Abdulla Yameen administration.
However, his successor, president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration did not implement the agreement, according to Maldivian media reports.
(With PTI inputs)
