China denies wanting military base in Maldives

Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday declared that they were not planning on building a military base in Maldives.

International news agency Reuters reported that Chinese Foreign Ministry sent them a statement declaring that they were not planning on building a military base in Maldives amid concerns by opposition that Chinese government may use the recent amendment to Maldivian Constitution granting foreigners land ownership rights to expand their military influence into Maldives.

“What the relevant people said about China building bases in the Maldives in totally baseless,” read the statement sent by Chinese Foreign Ministry; adding that China had always respected and supported Maldives’ efforts to maintain its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Reuters reported that opposition party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had said that the amendment to Constitution could give “unprecedented access to foreign parties to operate in the Maldives,” and that one MDP member had also accused the Maldivian government of facilitating a stronger Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean.