Maldives prioritizes pragmatic cooperation over major-power game

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Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu pledged greater cooperation with China during his first state visit to the country this week. Beijing and Male are expected to clinch a number of cooperation documents on tourism, infrastructure, climate change, and the green economy during this trip, boosting their bilateral relations to new heights.

For the Maldives, a reinvigorated collaboration with China is for the welfare of its people. As an island nation, the Maldives relies heavily on tourism for economic growth, and China has contributed a lot to its tourism industry. Before the pandemic, China had been the largest source of tourists to the Maldives since 2010. As China has resumed its outward travel, Muizzu has further appealed to China to increase the tourist flow during his trip.

For any island nation, infrastructure is vital. China, under the Belt and Road Initiative, has also contributed to the infrastructure development of the Maldives, thus boosting the island state's capacity to receive more tourists and exchanges with the outside world. The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, for instance, has made walking or driving from Male to the neighboring island of Hulhumale possible for the first time in the Maldives' history.

The BRI projects are vital to transforming his country's economic development, Muizzu said during his China trip. It is worth noting that Muizzu and his delegation attended the Invest Maldives Forum in China's Fuzhou – a city seen as a gateway to the maritime Silk Road – during their stay in China. Their stopover at Fuzhou highlights the importance that Muizzu's team has attached to strengthening BRI cooperation with China.

The Free Trade Agreement is another key priority of Muizzu's China journey. "The Free Trade Agreement will also create new opportunities for our trade and investment, especially for our fisheries sector," Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer tweeted on Tuesday. With fishing as the largest source of its employment, the Maldives is taking advantage of Muizzu's state visit to increase the export of fish products to China.

China-Maldives cooperation is for the common good. But interestingly, Muizzu's China trip has raised concerns in India. Some Indian media outlets hyped Muizzu's visit as evidence of the Maldives' pro-China stance as it had been a "tradition" of every Maldivian president picking India as their first destination in state visits since 2008. In the coverage of these media, normal exchanges between China and the Maldives are portrayed as Beijing's attempt at vying for influence with New Delhi in South Asia.

This is a typical zero-sum mentality. The Maldives is not picking sides between China and India, and has no need to do so. As the president of an independent nation, Muizzu has his own considerations when it comes to state visits. The Maldives is not subordinate to India, and does not have to follow the "tradition." New Delhi has no right to point fingers at Male's independent decision.

Making China the destination of Muizzu's first state visit, the island nation is prioritizing its own national interests and people's welfare over the need to play up to major powers. After all, reinvigorated collaboration with China in infrastructure, tourism, trade, and other fields means opportunities for the country's economic growth and an enhancement to people's welfares.

China-Maldives cooperation is based on mutual respect, mutual trust, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. This, rather than sacrificing for certain major power's selfish pursuit of hegemony, is what Male needs. Making a fuss over Muizzu's China trip, New Delhi is viewing itself as the "boss" in the region with the "right" to manipulate smaller countries.

Beijing-Male cooperation is not targeted at any third party. China welcomes cooperation with all parties, including India. Putting pragmatic cooperation first, the Maldives has made the right choice.

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