MALE: The Maldives will get free “non-lethal” military equipment and 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.
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.
This is the first time Maldives has signed a deal with China for military cooperation of this level. Speaking late on Tuesday evening, President Muizzu said China and Maldives had always maintained military cooperation and that the only new development with this agreement is the help Maldives will be receiving to strengthen its military capacity.