Maldives President embarks on China state visit amid diplomatic row with India
Maldives: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed departed for China on Sunday night, marking the beginning of a state visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The trip comes against the backdrop of a diplomatic row with India, the Maldives’ closest neighbour and a significant source of tourism.
President Muizzu, who gained power riding his ‘Out India’ campaign, suspended three deputy ministers—Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoon Maajid— following derogatory comments posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promotion of India’s Lakshadweep archipelago for tourism.
Some viewed his visit as trying to draw tourists away from the globally popular Maldives, whose 1,192 islands in the Indian Ocean are dotted with luxury resorts.
“The government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals. These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the government of Maldives,” said the Maldives Foreign Ministry in response to the controversial social media posts.
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