Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu took an indirect jibe at India amid the ongoing diplomatic tensions with New Delhi. In a press conference following his five-day visit to China, Mohamed Muizzu said, “We may be small but this doesn’t give them the license to bully us.”
The statement comes amid a diplomatic row between India and Maldives after politicians from the island nation made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep after which three ministers were suspended from their posts on January 7.
“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 said, adding, “This ocean does not belong to a specific country. This (Indian) Ocean also belongs to all countries situated in it. We aren’t in anyone’s backyard. We are an independent and sovereign state.”
“The two sides agree to continue firmly supporting each other in safeguarding their respective core interests,” a joint statement by China ad Maldives said, adding, “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.”
Maldives’ economy dances on a coral reef: stunning tourism brings wealth, but vulnerability thrives. Lush resorts fuel growth, yet overreliance leaves them exposed to shocks. Fishing, once king, now reels in a smaller share. The future glitters with ambitions beyond sunbeds, but diversifying industries faces choppy waters. Climate change whispers a constant threat, a siren song of rising seas and disappearing islands. Can Maldives find a sustainable rhythm, balancing paradise with peril, or will the economic tide wash away their dreams?
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