BEIJING: China reaffirmed its commitment on Tuesday to work with the Maldives in establishing a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with the island nation.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, underscored that the regular cooperation between the two countries is not aimed at any third party and will remain unaffected by external influences.
When asked about China’s military agreement with the Maldives during a press briefing, Mao Ning directed inquiries to relevant Chinese authorities for specifics.
“In broader terms, China is dedicated to forging a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with the Maldives,” she stated.
Mao highlighted that the collaborative efforts between China and the Maldives are not directed towards any particular third party and are resilient against external interference, refraining from explicitly naming any nation.
Her remarks followed the signing of a defence cooperation agreement between China and the Maldives, wherein China pledged to provide military assistance to strengthen bilateral relations. This agreement came shortly after President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives set a deadline for the withdrawal of the initial group of Indian military personnel from the island nation.
Maldives Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon inked the agreement with Chinese military official Major General Zhang Baoqun, signaling a commitment to bolstering bilateral ties. However, specific details of the defence cooperation deal were not disclosed.
The signing of the military agreement coincided with the Maldives granting permission for a Chinese “research ship” to dock near Male, following Sri Lanka’s announcement of a one-year ban on such vessels docking in its ports, despite criticism labeling the ship as a spy vessel.
