Pentagon concerned over China-Maldives relations
He was responding to a question on the allegations made by former President Nasheed and former foreign minister Naseem, on China’s land grabbing activities
President Abdulla Yameen (l) with China\'s President Xi Jinping
The Pentagon on Saturday said the US was concerned over China’s increasing influence in Maldives.
According to some news outlets, the Pentagon said the US was committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific rules-based order.
In an interview, Joe Felter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia said: “The US is committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific rules-based order. We have seen concerning developments in Maldives as far as the Chinese influence is concerned.”
"It's in India's backyard. We know it's of concern to India. So, yes, (the situation in Maldives) is a concern. We will see how it plays out. It emphasizes some of our priorities identified in our National Defence Strategy," he added.
He was responding to a question on the allegations made by former President Mohamed Nasheed and his administration's foreign minister Ahmed Naseem, on China’s land grabbing activities in the Maldives and the threat of developing them into a military outpost.
"If you look at similar activities across the region, it gives us some cause for concern. From Djibouti to, Gwadar put to Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, and now potentially the Maldives and then extending further east, it's of concern," he said.
India and other countries have expressed similar concerns, he added.
China is involved in numerous large-scale development projects in the Maldives including the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge currently under construction. President Abdulla Yameen has also signed a Free-Trade Agreement with China, which was reported to have caused some concern with India.
