Will request parliamentary review of FTA with China: MP Azim

MP for Central Henveyru constituency, Ali Azim, has stated that he will request the government to forward the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for parliamentary review.

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed between the two countries by former Economic Minister and MP for Maavah constituency Mohamed Saeed and China's Minister of Commerce, Zhong Shan, on December 6th, 2017.

The first bilateral FTA sought to further our economy, enhance travel and tourism and improve overall trade as well as attract innovation and technology.

Maldivian Democratic Party's parliamentary group leader, Ali Azim stated via twitter on Wednesday, that the FTA can be considered void as it did not undergo the full parliament process. He further stated that the agreement was "rubber-stamped" by former president Yameen and approved without any MP's actually reviewing the agreement.

Azim told RaajjeMV that he has read and found issues within the agreement and will request the government to forward it for parliamentary review.

Outrage regarding the FTA sparked after Speaker of Parliament and former President Mohamed Nasheed, gave an interview given to an Indian news outlet during an official visit to the country earlier this month, claiming that “the FTA is dead”.

MP Saeed, who signed the agreement, called Nasheed's 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.

Nasheed also drew criticism from Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives, Zhang Lizhong, who said that Maldivian politicians must learn to treasure the achievements so as to keep Maldives-China ties on a healthy track.