New Delhi: State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi and Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid, on Saturday, witnessed the signing of several key agreements on important areas such as infrastructure development, health, and travel.
Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi is on a two-day visit to the Maldives to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Maldives diplomatic ties. Wang Yi had arrived in the Maldives on Friday evening and was received by FM Shahid and other high-level officials of the foreign ministry at the celebs International airport.
Chinese FM is visiting the Maldives upon the invitation of Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Abdulla Shahid.
The India factor
Wang Yi's visit assumes significance as it comes at a time of an "India Out" campaign restarted by opposition leader and former president of Maldives Abdulla Yameen who was released from jail in November and also when India-China is constantly in a tussle in the Indian ocean.
Yameen has accused Maldivian President Solih of allowing entry to the Indian military which weakens the country's sovereignty. However, the Maldivian government denies the charges.
Chinese FM is also slated to visit Sri Lanka after his trip to the Maldives as the Asian giant is said to have renewed efforts to bolster ties and keep its influence intact in South Asian nations.
It is pertinent to note that to ensure that the Indian ocean island remains within India's influence, New Delhi has made efforts to support Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid's candidature for the presidency of the UNGA in 2021.
The agreements that were signed during the visit were “Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption between the Government of the Republic of the Maldives and the Government of the People’s Republic of China”, which will allow Maldivians to travel to China on a 30-day visa-free basis, once the pandemic restrictions have been lifted, and the “Agreement of Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Maldives and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Grand Aid” focusing on the development of key areas such as social, livelihood, and infrastructure projects. Both these agreements were signed by his Excellency Ahmed Khaleel on behalf of the Government of Maldives.
Mohamed Aslam, the Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure signed on behalf of the Government, a “Letter of Exchange on the Feasibility Study of Management and Maintenance of China-Maldives Friendship Bridge”.
Akram Kamauludeen, Minister of State for National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure also signed a “Supplementary Contract to the Implementation Contract for China Aided Micro-Grid Sea-water Desalination Project in the Maldives”.
Finally, Ahmed Naseem, Minister of Health, signed the “Agreement on Establishing a Hospital Assistance and Cooperation Programme between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of the Maldives and the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China.
The agreements signed on Saturday are expected to directly benefit the people of Maldives, improving their quality of health services, providing additional outlets for seawater desalination, and assisting the Government with the maintenance of the flagship China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.
