Maldives ex-leader Mohamed Nasheed says Chinese projects akin to land grab

The exiled former leader of the Maldives says this year's presidential election could be the last chance to extricate his country from increasing Chinese influence, which he claims amounts to a land grab in the guise of investments in island development.

Mohamed Nasheed told reporters in Sri Lanka's capital on Monday that current President Yameen Abdul Gayoom has opened the doors to Chinese investment without any regard for procedure or transparency.

He said China is "buying up our lands, buying up our key infrastructure and effectively buying up our sovereignty." Nasheed is disqualified from contesting the presidency this year due to a prison sentence. He is now living in exile in Britain after going there for medical treatment while in prison. 

There was no immediate response from the government.

The Maldives has been mired in political unrest since Mohamed Nasheed, its first democratically elected president, was ousted in 2012. Nasheed in a statement said he was "extremely worried about an imminent coup in the Maldives".  The opposition alleges the Yameen administration is trying to cover up corruption including money laundering. The government has denied the accusations. The move to impeach the speaker gathered momentum after 10 Yameen loyalists in the 85-member legislature defected and joined the opposition to unseat him. 

(With Reuters input)