Amid the ongoing low-key diplomatic row between India and Maldives, the island-country’s President Muizzu said on Saturday that no country had the right to “bully” his nation.
While addressing a press conference Muizzu, who is regarded as a pro-China leader, said without naming any country, “We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the licence to bully us.”
The Maldivian President just completed his five-day visit to China and his statement came amid a diplomatic row with India over derogatory social media posts by three of his ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Though we have small islands in this ocean, we have a vast exclusive economic zone of 900,000 square km. Maldives is one of the countries with the biggest share of this ocean,” he further told the media.
In an apparent jibe at India, he said, “This ocean does not belong to a specific country. This (Indian) Ocean also belongs to all countries situated in it”.
According to the Maldives Sun Online portal, he was quoted as saying, “We aren’t in anyone’s backyard. We are an independent and sovereign state.”
During his visit to China, Muizzu held talks with President Xi Jinping after which the two countries signed 20 agreements. “The two sides agree to continue firmly supporting each other in safeguarding their respective core interests,” said a joint statement issued at the end of Muizzu’s talks with the top Chinese leaders.
“China firmly supports the Maldives in upholding its national sovereignty, independence and national dignity, respects and supports the Maldives’ exploration of a development path that suits its national conditions, and firmly opposes external interference in the internal affairs of the Maldives,” the statement said, without referring to any country.
A row erupted on social media few days back when a minister and some other leaders in the Maldives used derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi after he posted a video of him on a pristine beach in Lakshadweep.
While the Maldivian government on Sunday distanced itself from “derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals”, it also suspended three government officials whose comments on social media platform X seemingly triggered the row in the first place.
In his post on social media site X, the PM had mentioned “the stunning beauty” of the union territory and “the incredible warmth of its people”. And, in doing so, advised travel enthusiasts and adventurers that “Lakshadweep has to be on your list”.
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.
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