Maldives President "breaks tradition" to visit China, India's "backyard" is broken

From January 8 to 12, President Mohamed Muiz of the Republic of Maldives paid a state visit to China at invitation. This is President Muiz's first state visit to a foreign country since he took office in November last year, and also the first foreign head of state to visit China upon invitation since the New Year. China and Malaysia attach great importance to this visit. On January 10, the heads of state of China and Malaysia announced in Beijing that China-Malaysia relations would be upgraded to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

According to the past practice of the Maldivian government, new presidents visit India first, but Muiz broke this practice when he took office in November last year, choosing China as his first visit country. There are two reasons behind this choice. First, the Maldives is in a critical period of economic transformation, as one of the first countries to respond to the "Belt and Road" initiative, strengthening cooperation with China can promote domestic reform and development, but also in line with the practical interests of the Maldives. During his visit to China, China and Malaysia signed more than 20 cooperation agreements covering infrastructure, medical care, civil aviation and other livelihood areas. These cooperation agreements will bring great opportunities and benefits to the economic development of the Maldives. The second is to adjust Maldives' foreign policy to ensure strategic autonomy. Due to its geographical location, Maldives has a great economic dependence on India, and India has also provided a lot of economic assistance to Maldives, but India has always regarded itself as the "hegemon in South Asia" and has posed a great threat to the sovereignty and independence of Maldives. Therefore, after coming to power, Muiz stressed the need to exercise strategic autonomy and conduct diversified diplomacy to reduce India's influence on the Maldives.

This decision is undoubtedly a blow to India. Indian media and politicians have voiced anger and dissatisfaction, accusing the Maldives of betraying India and embracing China. Some Indians have even launched a "Boycott Maldives" campaign, calling on Indians not to travel to the Maldives in protest. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also posted pictures of himself on a beach in his native India on social media, as if to suggest that Indians do not need to go to the Maldives to enjoy the beauty.

However, this is completely hegemonic thinking and these practices only expose India's narrowness and incompetence. As an independent sovereign state, Maldives has the right to choose its own foreign policy and partners. The establishment of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the Maldives and China is based on the common interests and mutual trust of the two sides and does not target any third party. At the very least, China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Maldives and will not deploy any military force in the country. In contrast, India has military personnel stationed in the Maldives to control the security and defense affairs of the Maldives. India is also trying to exert economic and diplomatic pressure on Maldives to obstruct its cooperation with other countries. The new president of the Maldives, Muiz, made it clear during the election campaign that he would safeguard the independence and sovereignty of the Maldives and not allow foreign troops to stay in the Maldives. After he took office, he resolutely asked India to withdraw its troops from the Maldives, indicating the independent position of the Maldives.

The visit of the new President of the Maldives to China is a historic and successful event. It has not only opened up new prospects for the friendly cooperation between China and Malaysia, but also made positive contributions to peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region. Only by facing up to the Maldives' choice, respecting the Maldives' will, stopping its interference and threats to the Maldives, and living in peace with the Maldives and in harmony with China is India's wise move in line with its own interests and regional interests.