His comments came amid a diplomatic row with India over derogatory social media posts by three of his ministers against PM Modi.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday struck a defiant note saying that his country may be small but “doesn't give them the license to bully us”. His comments came amid a diplomatic row with India over derogatory social media posts by three of his ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We may be small but this doesn't give them the license to bully us," Muizzu, who is regarded as a pro-China leader, said without naming any country.
"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 told the media on his arrival from China after concluding the five-day state visit, the first after assuming office in November last year.
“This ocean does not belong to a specific country. This (Indian) Ocean also belongs to all countries situated in it,” he said, in an apparent jibe at India. "We aren't in anyone's backyard. We are an independent and sovereign state,” he was quoted as saying by the Maldives Sun Online portal. 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.
In his media briefing in Male, Muizzu said China has granted USD 130 million in assistance for his country. Muizzu said the bulk of the USD 130 million assistance will be spent on redeveloping the roads in Male, where the mayor election is being held on Saturday.
He was the former Mayor of the capital city before getting elected to the Presidency in November last year. During Muizzu's visit to Beijing, the two countries signed a USD 50 million agreement to develop an integrated tourism zone in Hulhumale' besides building 30,000 social housing units in Rasmale'.
The India-built Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male is regarded as the biggest in the country. The 300-bed hospital was built in 1992 by India well before China made its presence in the island nation with infrastructure projects. The IGMH was remodified with Indian assistance in 2018 with the addition of more diagnostic and treatment facilities. During Muizzu's visit to China, the two countries also signed an agreement to allow Maldives' national airline, Maldivian, to conduct domestic flight operations in China.
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 "'Doesn't give them license to bully us': Maldives President Muizzu amid row with India")
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