Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is on a five-day state visit to China which began on January 8.
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Beijing: Amid the lapsing diplomatic relations, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday appealed for the promotion of tourism to his country. He was addressing the listeners at Maldives Business Forum in Fujian Province.
In his words, China was the biggest market for Maldives in the pre-Covid era. However, the numbers declined drastically as corona waves hit the shores. The President wants the numbers to boost up and make China the most valuable market in terms of tourism.
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Maldives President calls China Closest Ally
President Muizzu also termed China one of the closest allies, thus emphasising the importance of bilateral relations. The Belt and Road Initiative received accolades from President Muizzu as it helped deliver prominent infrastructure projects in the nation. According to his speech, President Muizzu commended the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2014, stating that they have brought forth the most noteworthy infrastructure developments ever witnessed in the history of Maldives.
After completing his visit to Fujian, Muizzu arrived in Beijing on Tuesday. During his stay, he is anticipated to engage in discussions with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Ke Qiang. Muizzu made a plea to attract a larger number of Chinese tourists, amidst a diplomatic dispute that arose due to offensive statements made by certain Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Modi. These remarks were made after the Prime Minister shared a video of himself on a beautiful beach during his recent trip to Lakshadweep.
In response to this, Muizzu’s administration took action by suspending three deputy ministers who had made derogatory posts on social media. The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) has also expressed strong condemnation towards these offensive comments.
India Primary Source of Tourists
In 2023, India continued to hold its position as the primary source of tourists for the country. The Maldives witnessed a significant influx of visitors from India, with a staggering 209,198 arrivals. Russia secured the second spot with 209,146 arrivals, closely followed by China in third place with 187,118 arrivals. In 2022, India maintained its position as the leading market for Maldives tourism, welcoming 240,000 visitors. Russia closely followed in second place with 198,000 tourists, while Britain secured the third spot with over 177,000 arrivals.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, China held the top position with over 280,000 tourists. However, it is currently facing challenges in reviving both its domestic and international tourism sectors. This is primarily due to a prolonged four-year lockdown policy and the ongoing economic slowdown.
Free Trade Agreement
Mohamed Muizzu, who is regarded as a leader with pro-China leanings, emphasized that his administration is dedicated to diversifying the economic foundation of the Maldives and ensuring economic stability. Additionally, he placed great emphasis on the swift implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that was signed with China in December 2014.
According to him, the FTA serves as a symbol of the strong commercial ties between the two nations. He further stated, “The primary objective of the FTA is to enhance bilateral trade and investments, with a particular focus on increasing our export of fish products to China.”
Furthermore, the president actively sought investments from Chinese companies for 11 different projects during the Maldives Investment Forum. These projects encompassed various initiatives such as the relocation of the Male Commercial Port to Thilafushi, the development project for Velana International Airport, and the construction of an additional 15 airports.
