Maldives reassures India, says ‘No’ to Chinese bases

The Indian Ocean island country of Maldives has told India it will not allow China to set up military bases on its territory. That is unlikely to calm fears China will consolidate its position in the Indian Ocean. Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen conveyed the assurance the Maldives will remain a “demilitarized zone” in a letter […]

The Indian Ocean island country of Maldives has told India it will not allow China to set up military bases on its territory. That is unlikely to calm fears China will consolidate its position in the Indian Ocean.
Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen conveyed the assurance the Maldives will remain a “demilitarized zone” in a letter given to Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi by the country’s foreign secretary Ali Naseer.
Last week, India’s foreign secretary, Subrahmanyan Jaishankar, visited Maldives to express concerns about a new law that allows foreigners to own land in the country if they invest $ 1 billion and reclaim 70 percent of the land from the sea.
India fears this law will pave the way for China to establish its military presence in the Maldives, a string of 1,200 islands located south of India along major shipping routes in the Indian Ocean.
But the Maldivian government says the law is only meant to attract foreign investors to establish special economic zones in the same way as countries like Dubai. It says this will give the country an economic boost and reduce its reliance on tourism.