Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu turns to China for tourists, faces ire at home

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, January 9

Even as his request for a visit to India remains pending, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu sought more tourists from China and described it as one of country’s closest allies.

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New Delhi let it be known today that the Maldivian government had conveyed to the Indian High Commission in Male about Muizzu’s wish to travel to India next month. The request was put before a spat on X led to a diplomatic row between India and the Maldives. Muizzu did not make India his first overseas destination after becoming President and had opted to first visit Turkey.

The domestic after-effects continued in Maldives from the derogatory remarks about PM Modi posted by the now-suspended three junior Maldivian Ministers. The opposition was pressing for a no-confidence vote against Muizzu while many Maldivian figures pointed out how India had always stood by the Maldives. “India has been our 911 call, whenever we need it, we give a call and you all come to our rescue. When you see such disparaging remarks about friends like this, it is sad for everyone concerned,” said former Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi.

Alarmed over the possibility of losing some of the two lakh Indians visiting the Maldives every year after the spat prompted several Indian celebrities to begin promoting Indian leisure destinations, all the country’s tourism associations condemned the comments against PM Modi. Makemytrip, in which the largest shareholding is of the Chinese but the top executives are Indian, blocked bookings for Maldives from India.

Even as a visit to India remains in the works, Muizzu said there would be increased cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and that Male would examine the revival of the free trade agreement that had not yet been activated.

Muizzu arrived in China on Monday for a five-day state visit that would include meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. He is the first head of state to arrive in China this year. Speaking at the “Invest Maldives business forum” in Fuzhou, Muizzu said Male would continue to cooperate with China in key Maldives infrastructure plans. Under the BRI, China helped expand the Velana International Airport and built a cross-sea bridge.

Male is also being courted by the US. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week called up his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer to discuss cooperation on defence and other issues.