The United States has reaffirmed its promise to partnering with the Maldives to promote a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, a senior state department official has said.
This message was conveyed when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with visiting Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer on Tuesday in Washington, DC.
Secretary Antony Blinken reaffirmed the US commitment to partnering with Maldives to promote a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
Ever since Maldivian leader Mohamed Muizzu, assumed charge as President in November last year, the Maldives has stepped up ties with Beijing and inked several bilateral agreements, including a defence cooperation deal.
Blinken’s reference to the Indo-Pacific is also important since China is opposed to the US and other countries getting involved in a region where Beijing has major maritime territorial disputes with countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam.
Blinken highlighted the US donation of eight patrol boats to the Maldives and, working with Congress, the planned provision of USD 2 million in hydrographic support to help the country mitigate the impact of rising sea levels, Miller said in a statement.
Blinken and Zameer discussed additional opportunities to enhance cooperation on addressing the climate crisis, economic growth, maritime security, and other bilateral priorities, it said.
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