Maldives-China defence agreement to obtain non-lethal weapons and training, says President Muizzu
training from China's military under a newly inked agreement with Beijing, President Mohamed Muizzu has said, underlining that it would further strengthen the Indian Ocean island nation's independence and autonomy. Muizzu also met Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of China, and President of the Export-Import Bank of China, Ren Shengjun separately.
Earlier on Monday, the Maldives Ministry of Defence announced that a military assistance agreement has been signed by Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon and Major General Zhang. However, it did not reveal any additional details.
This is the first time Maldives has signed a deal with China for military cooperation of this level. Previously, China had been exclusively known for its assistance towards urban and economic development of the Maldives, news portal Sun.mv said.
Speaking late on Tuesday evening with residents of Dhaalu atoll Meedhoo as part of his ongoing trip to the atoll, President Muizzu, who is widely seen as a pro-China leader, shared some details as he said that China and Maldives had always maintained military cooperation and that the only new development with this agreement is the assistance Maldives will be receiving to strengthen its military capacity.
«To obtain the different forms of training required by the Maldives' military, and to be granted various non-lethal military equipment free of charge, that is what this agreement is about. This will increase the technical capacity of
