Beijing ‘armtwists’ Male into signing trade pact

Hong Kong, December 19 

President Abdulla Yameen’s rush to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China during his recent visit to Beijing without following constitutional norms has generated considerable anti-China sentiment in the Maldives. 

The opposition parties in Maldives and the business community attribute the deal also to President Yameen’s underhand dealings in award of contracts to Chinese companies and an effort by Yameen and the China to protect the latter’s investments in the Maldives. According to sources within the Maldives government, there was pressure from China on signing of the FTA, the first by Maldives with any other country. The FTA is unlikely to boost Maldives exports to China, given its narrow export base.

The FTA would further open the floodgates for Chinese imports adversely affecting Maldives’ fragile balance of payments situation.  The opposition parties handed over a signed letter to the Chinese Ambassador in Male Zhang Lizhong, where they highlighted that the Maldivian government followed unconstitutional and illegal process in the House to approve the FTA and as such the opposition could not recognise the FTA in its current form. — Agencies