Alongside with its ongoing massive island building projects in the disputed South China Sea, a recent move by the Maldives on foreign ownership has raised concerns among some Indians that China may soon launch an island reclamation project in their Indian Ocean.
The issue of the possible extension of China’s reclamation project to the Indian Ocean was release by a US-based The National Interest out of concerns after Maldives approved an amendment in its constitution allowing foreign investors with $1 billion to own land, provided that at least 70 percent of the land is reclaimed from the sea.
This was not a welcome development to India as China’s involvement in the Indian Ocean is growing as it strings a network of ports dubbed the Strings of Pearls.
According to an Indian official, they are concerned that China would seize the opportunity to expand Madive’s 1, 200 islands which are located strategically in the Indian Oceam.
Meanwhile, for Eva Abdullah, one of the 14 parliamentarians who voted against the amendment in the Maldives’ constitution, the move “will make the country a Chinese colony.”
“What I fear is that we are paving the way for the establishment of Chinese bases in the Maldives and making the country a frontline state between India and China, thereby disturbing the current balance of power in the Indian Ocean. We cannot ignore the increasing rivalry between India and China,” she told The Diplomat.
However, China has brushed aside the speculation of considering Indian Ocean as reclamation area.
Beijing has already created some 2, 000 acres of artificial landmass in the seven islets and reefs they have been occupying since 2013 in the disputed South China Sea to which US implicated to be uses for military purposes.
China in the matter said the vote was an internal for the Maldives, and that China wanted good relations with the country.
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that China “has always respected and supported the Maldives’ efforts to maintain its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
It also cleared out that China is not building bases in the Maldives.
US Ambassador Phillip Goldberg said China should stop building activities in the South China Sea to expel rising regional tension.
H/T: Philstar.com