In a recent editorial, the Global Times refuted claims of China pressuring the Maldives against India and instead proposed trilateral cooperation between China, India, and the Maldives. The editorial urged India to adopt an open-minded approach, emphasising that China’s cooperation with South Asian countries is not a zero-sum game. Addressing the ongoing dispute between India and the Maldives, the editorial highlighted the Indian media’s speculations about Maldives President Muizzu prioritising China over India during his visit to Beijing. It discussed how Muizzu’s decision to visit China first is seen as an effort to maintain a balanced state-to-state relationship with both nations, breaking from the tradition of predecessors who typically visited India first. The editorial also touched upon Muizzu’s visit to the Xiamen Free Trade Zone in China’s Fujian province, accompanied by his wife, and the expectations of strategic guidance and multiple agreements during discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
