Amid a diplomatic row between India and Maldives over the derogatory remarks by some Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chinese state media said Beijing has never asked Malé to reject New Delhi and called for a trilateral cooperation.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu lands in Beijing on a four-day state visit, an editorial published in the Global Times, a mouthpiece of the country’s ruling Chinese Communist Party, asked India to have an “open-minded” approach while dealing with south Asian matters.
“Muizzu’s decision to visit China before India does not necessarily mean that he is pro-China and anti-India. It only demonstrates that Muizzu is treating India with a normal mind-set and steering the relationship between the Maldives and India to a normal state-state relationship,” the editorial read.
It further said that China’s cooperation with South Asian countries is not a “zero-sum game”.
“Beijing has never asked Malé to reject New Delhi because of the conflicts between China and India, nor does it view cooperation between the Maldives and India as unfriendly or a threat. It is also willing to carry out trilateral cooperation between China, India and the Maldives. New Delhi should stay more open-minded as China’s cooperation with South Asian countries is not a zero-sum game,” it added.
Muizzu is regarded as a “pro-China” leader and has chosen to visit China, moving away from the tradition set by his predecessors to visit New Delhi after becoming the president.
Ties between India and Maldives have been strained since Muizzu came to power. His first decision was to ask India to remove friendly Indian troops from the Maldivian soil.
The latest trigger was the disparaging and unsavoury remarks by some of the Maldivian ministers against Modi over his visit to Lakshadweep.
Following the row, India registered strong protest and summoned Maldivian envoy. The Maldives government also took note of the issue and reportedly suspended the lawmakers.