BEIJING: China today opposed any UN mediation in the Maldives but called onthe international community to provide “support and convenience” to therelevant parties to facilitate dialogue and resolve the country’s politicalcrisis.
Ahead of the UN Security Council meeting today to discuss the situation inthe Maldives after UN officials offered to facilitate all-party talks toresolve the situation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang toldmedia here that China is for supporting relevant parties in the islandnation to resolve the crisis.
Asked whether China is averse to UN mediation in the Maldives, Geng said “Imade myself clear. The international community should respect thesovereignty and territorial integrity of Maldives and provide support andconvenience for dialogue between the relevant parties and play aconstructive role in this aspect”.
The Chinese stand to provide outside support for the parties is seen as aslight change in Beijing’s position.
Opposition parties in the Maldives allege China is backing PresidentAbdulla Yameen who has permitted several high-profile Chinese-backedinfrastructure projects and signed a controversial Free Trade Agreement(FTA) with China despite domestic opposition.
Geng’s comments came as Yameen dispatched special envoys to “friendlycountries” like China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The special envoy for China is expected to arrive here later today.
Geng said “China thinks that the current situation and disputes in theMaldives belong to its internal affairs. It should be properly resolvedthough consultations by relevant parties. The international communityshould respect the Maldives’ sovereignty and territorial integrity and playa constructive role for dialogue between the relevant parties,” he said.
China, he said is willing to maintain close communication with relevantparties in Maldives to restore normal order as soon as possible.
Asked whether it means China is in touch with former presidentMohamed Nasheed who is bitterly critical of China’s role in the Maldives,Geng said “We are maintaining close communication with relevant parties inthe Maldives and the diplomatic channels between two countries is alsosmooth”.
But at the same time, Geng refuted allegations by Sri Lanka-based Nasheedwho has accused China of land grab and undermining the Maldives’sovereignty and security in the Indo-Pacific. Nasheed also called forIndian military intervention to end the crisis.
Yesterday, Geng said China is opposed to any outside military interventionin Maldives in response to Nasheed’s call.
“I think that kind of remarks (by Nasheed) is totally wrong. When Nasheedwas president China has offered assistance to Maldives and promotedpragmatic cooperation and has achieved a lot of outcomes. I don’t knowwhether Nasheed will regard such cooperation as grabbing,” he said.
Based on mutual respect and equality, the Maldives has maintainedcooperation on infrastructure and livelihood projects and China has madecontribution to the transformation of economic structure and improvement oflivelihoods of people of the Maldives, Geng said while defending China’smassive investments in the picturesque islands in the Indian Ocean.
“China has not attached political strings for cooperation with theMaldives. China will never endanger the independence of the Maldives.Friendly cooperation is for all the people in the Maldives and it servesthe interest of the two countries and two peoples,” he said.
Besides India, the US, the UN, and the EU have all expressed concern overYameen jailing the Supreme Court judges and 81-year-old former presidentMaumoon Abdul Gayoom besides a number of opposition legislators.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged the Maldivesgovernment to uphold the rule of law and ensure the safety of the people ofthe island nation.
The UN chief expressed serious concern about the unfolding situation in theMaldives and, in a statement issued by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric,urged the government to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, liftthe state of emergency as soon as possible, and take all measures to ensurethe safety and security of the people in the country.
China views the Maldives as key to its Maritime Silk Road project in theIndian Ocean as it has already acquired Hambantota port in Sri Lanka andDjibouti in the Horn of Africa.
Also China today further strengthened its travel advisory to thousands ofChinese tourists by asking travel agencies not to organise group tours tothe Maldives during the the weeklong Chinese New Year holiday this month.
Geng in his briefing referred to the China Travel Bureau’s warnings totravel agencies about group tours.
Earlier, China had asked its tourists to cancel plans to visit the Maldiveswhich is a favourite tourist destination.
Tourism is the Maldives’ biggest industry. It accounts for around a fifthof its GDP and generates billions of dollars every year in revenue. In2016, the sector was worth almost USD 9 billion.
About 1.4 million people visited the Indian Ocean archipelago last year, ofwhich Chinese tourists constituted about 30 per cent.
The Chinese New Year was stated to be biggest season for tourists fromChina to visit the Maldives.