'Old friends' China and Maldives sign 20 key agreements amid row with India

China and Maldives on Wednesday 'upgraded' their bilateral ties and signed 20 key agreements, including one in which Beijing pledged to extend funding for infrastructure in the Indian Ocean archipelago. The upgraded ties come amid the ongoing India-Maldives row and as New Delhi and Beijing tussle for influence.

The agreements, including ones on climate, agriculture and infrastructure, were signed during the Maldives' newly elected President Mohamed Muizzu's first state visit to China.

An old friend

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Speaking at an event at China's Great Hall of the People, Chinese President Xi Jinping referred to Muizzu as "an old friend".

As per media reports, he told the Maldivian President that "China and the Maldives' relations are facing a historic opportunity to carry forward the past and forge ahead into the future."

Xi, as per reports, "stressed that China respects and supports the Maldives in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions".

Watch |India-Maldives Row: Maldives faces heat over anti-India comments, proposes Muizzu's visit to India

The two leaders, as per AFP, issued a joint communique detailing the "broad consensus" reached by them.

China, according to the statement published on state broadcaster CCTV, has vowed to "continue to provide support within its capacity to the Maldives side in areas of priority concern" including "infrastructure construction, medical care and health care, improvement of people's livelihoods, new energy sources, agriculture, and marine environmental protection".

The Maldivian President thanked Beijing for its "selfless assistance" in providing his country with development funds.

He also said that Beijing "supports the Maldives firmly in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity".

Muizzu's anti-India campaign

President Mohamed Muizzu took office in November. During his winning campaign, Muizzu had cast China's regional rival India and its influence as a threat to sovereignty.

Since November, the Muizzu government has asked dozens of locally based Indian personnel to leave Maldives.

As per World Bank estimates, Maldives owes China about 43 per cent of its national debt which comes up to $3 billion.

(With inputs from agencies)