Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu to visit China next week

News Snapshot:

After a falling out with his mentor Abdullah Yameen, who guided Male close to Beijing, newly elected Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu, will make his maiden trip to China next week. This visit is likely to spark speculation about the likely direction of his government’s foreign policy over the next five years. At President Xi Jinping’s invitation, Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed will visit China from January 8 to 12, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday. Widely regarded as a pro-China politician, Muizzu took office as the eighth President of the Maldives on September 8, having...