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China, Saudi dictating Maldives foreign relations, says Nasheed

Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has allowed China and Saudi Arabia to dictate Maldives' relations with the rest of the world, self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed alleged Wednesday.

As Maldives marked the 52nd Anniversary of independence on Wednesday, Nasheed took to Twitter to slam Maldives' close ties with China and Saudi since president Yameen took office in 2013.

"Since we attained the power to govern our own foreign relations 52 years ago, president Yameen now has relinquished that right to China and Saudi Arabia," Nasheed said on Twitter.

"Maldivians would reclaim victory."

Nasheed has been especially critical of president Yameen's foreign policy and had recently warned to terminate all Chinese projects in the Maldives if the opposition manages to assume power.

He had said president Yameen's extensive relations with China was a threat to the whole region.

Since president Yameen won the 2013 presidential elections, the country has overlooked India with China funding major infrastructure development in the Maldives, including the nation’s main airport and the ongoing landmark bridge project connecting capital Male with airport island Hulhule.

The Link Road connecting the island wards of southernmost Addu atoll had also been developed with China’s free aid.

Moreover, several Chinese private firms continue to invest in the tourism and construction sectors of the archipelago, especially in the reclaimed suburb Hulhumale.

Nasheed alleged that Yameen had allotted 16 islands to the Chinese that straddle key navigation sea-lanes, and was in talks with Saudi Arabia to give it an atoll.

“Maldives occupies an 800-km geographical expanse from north to south and covers all navigable parts of the Indian Ocean. China has been given several strategically located islands by Yameen to carry out construction projects,” he said.

Nasheed insisted he would terminate these projects if the joint Opposition came to power after next year’s elections.

He admitted that Maldives was in danger of becoming another Sri Lanka, referring to the huge loans that Colombo is having to pay back to China after former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse invited Beijing to build several projects, including an airport and parts of Colombo port and a city.

“Seventy per cent of Maldives’ foreign debt is in hock to one country, China. Our loan interest is more than our joint expenditure on health and education and more than 20 per cent of Maldives’ budget,” he said, accusing Yameen of selling Maldives’ national interest to the Chinese.