The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between Maldives and China during 2017 is “not dead”, claimed MP for Maavah constituency and former Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed.
While the MP was the one to sign the FTA with then-counterpart, Saeed made this assertion following the outrage sparked after an interview given to an Indian news outlet during an official visit by Speaker of Parliament and Former President Mohamed Nasheed, who claimed that “the FTA is dead”.
The FTA is dead, it is not proceeding and it has to come to the parliament first for it to be implemented and I can’t see how our parliamentarians would now have the appetite to do that. In terms of other contracts, constructions contracts, we must get the contracts done, we can’t stop them halfway. That would not do any good to anyone but at the end of the day we have to pay the bill. But my point is, my view is the Chinese government must restructure the debt. It is up to them to do it and I hope that they do it”Speaker Nasheed.
Taking to Twitter, MP Saeed called the remarks “unhealthy”, writing that the government must unequivocally condemn it and that political leaders must not put close countries into a “geopolitical mess” at the price for their own benefits.
He went on to say that the country depends on tourism and China’s major contribution for tourist arrivals and investments must not be forgotten.
While Maldives and China signed the first bilateral FTA to further our economy, enhance travel and tourism and improve overall trade as well as to attract innovation and technology, Saeed asserted that it must be honored.
Baseless and repeated allegations on China Maldives ties by the President of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) must be condemned by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s government. We must not forget the enormous contributions by China at times of need. I take pride defending the CMFTA as one that serves good for both countries.”MP Saeed.
Further, the MP said that the FTA will help Maldives reach “new economic heights”.
Nasheed drew criticism from Chinese Ambassador to Maldives, Zhang Lizhong following this as well, who said that Maldivian politicians must learn to treasure the achievements so as to keep Maldives-China ties on a healthy track.
While Nasheed had claimed that Maldives has been caught in a debt trap by China, Lizhong said that China does not “grab” Maldivian land and that its investment in Maldives is “no different” from any other country and that only a handful of private companies from China have invested in tourism islands which are “not even operational”.
