Ties with Maldives do not 'target' any third party: China
Asked for her comments on China's military agreement with the Maldives at a press briefing here, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning referred the media to “competent Chinese authorities” for details
AP
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China signed a defence cooperation agreement with the Maldives to provide free military assistance to foster "stronger" bilateral ties
Beijing, 5 March
China on Tuesday vowed to work with
the Maldives to build a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with
the island nation and underlined that normal cooperation between the two does
not "target" any third party and will not be disrupted by any 3rd
party.
Asked for her comments on China's
military agreement with the Maldives at a press briefing here, Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Mao Ning referred the media to “competent Chinese authorities” for
details. “More broadly, China is committed to working with the Maldives to
build a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership,” she said. “Normal
cooperation between China and the Maldives does not target any third party and
will not be disrupted by any third party” Mao said, without naming any country.
Her statement came a day after
China signed a defence cooperation agreement with the Maldives to provide free
military assistance to foster "stronger" bilateral ties weeks after
President Mohamed Muizzu set a deadline for the withdrawal of the first group
of Indian military personnel to leave the island nation.
Maldives Defence Minister Mohamed
Ghassan Maumoon "signed an agreement on China's provision of military
assistance gratis to the Republic of Maldives, fostering stronger bilateral
ties” with Chinese military official Major General Zhang Baoqun, the Maldivian
defence ministry posted on its X handle. However, the details of the defence
cooperation agreement were not revealed.
The military agreement was signed
days after the Maldives permitted a Chinese “research ship”, also termed a spy
ship by critics, to dock near Male after Sri Lanka announced a yearlong
moratorium on such ships docking in its ports.
The Maldives and China elevated
their bilateral ties to a “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership”
during the visit of Maldives President Muizzu to Beijing in January during
which he held talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Muizzu, regarded as pro-China,
signed several agreements with China and Beijing has also announced a USD 130
million grant to Maldives besides committing to send more Chinese tourists to
the island nation.
Meanwhile, Mao also positively
reacted to Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” joining once
again with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) headed by
pro-China K P Sharma Oli ending his partnership with the Nepali Congress party
to form a new government. “China noted that Nepal has formed a new government
coalition and reshuffled the cabinet recently. We sincerely hope that relevant
parties of Nepal will work together in solidarity, advance the work related to
the formation of the new government in a smooth manner, and realise political
stability, economic growth and improvement of people’s livelihood,” she said.
“We would like to work with the new
government to uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, deepen our
traditional friendship, strengthen practical cooperation, advance the
China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting
friendship for development and prosperity, and deliver more benefits to the
peoples of the two countries,” Mao said.
Prachanda, who previously warmed up
to China, struck a more balanced approach during his tenure in power, while Oli
pursued a closer tie with Beijing and signed a transit trade agreement with
China aimed at reducing dependence on India for his landlocked country.
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