China "Valued Ally, Integral Collaborator": Maldives President Amid Row With India

He expressed aspirations to enhance bilateral relations to new heights and enhance collaborative efforts in various areas of mutual interest, the readout said.

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who arrived in China on his first state visit, Monday praised Beijing as a "valued ally and integral collaborator" of the Indian Ocean island nation and hailed the cooperation between the two countries.

Muizzu, who is regarded as "pro-China", met provincial officials in Fujian on the first day of his five-day visit, a day after he fired three ministers for making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi resulting in a major diplomatic row with India which besides being Maldives closest neighbour assisted Male with a host of projects.

Indians constitute the largest number of tourists in the tourism-dependent Maldives.