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As he made history becoming first Chinese President to visit Maldives, Xi Jinping pledged support to the Indian Ocean island nation's struggle against climate change to ward off a rising sea and remain afloat besides issues concerning human rights violations.
"China will continue to pursue close cooperation with it (the Maldives) on climate change, human rights and other issues," Xi said in a signed article published in Maldivian media today, state media here reported.
Xi became the first Chinese President to visit Maldives, with 26 beautiful atolls, facing threat of being inundated by rising sea triggered by global warming. The rising sea also threatens the existence of its over 3.45 lakh population.
The Chinese President, however, has not outlined steps to back the Maldivian struggle against climate change.
Xi included Maldives in his South Asia itinerary at the last minute, after he cancelled a visit to Pakistan over the volatile political situation there.
From Male, Xi would go to Sri Lanka, yet another beneficiary of China's large aid and investments. He would arrive in India on September 17.
Significantly, Xi said China would back Male on human rights, amid an internal turmoil there after the 2012 ouster of Mohammad Naheed, leading to a prolonged crisis which drew criticism from India and the international community.
China followed the same pattern in Sri Lanka by voting against US resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council calling for investigations into rights abuse allegations during the final stages of a conflict against the Tamil Tigers.
In both Maldives and Sri Lanka, China has consolidated its influence in India's backyard with big investments and aid while allaying concerns of encircling India with a "string of pearls".
Xi also sought Maldives support for his mega plan to build 21st century Maritime Silk Road (MSR) to improve China's trade with a host of ports in the region.
Sri Lanka and Singapore have supported the MSR, while India has sought more details.
Maldives' President Abdulla Yameen during his last visit here had said he would respond to the initiative, without giving a direct commitment.
Xi said China welcomes the Maldives to get actively involved in the proposed 21st century MSR initiative.
With an increasing number of Chinese going to Maldives, Xi proposed to open more flight routes for smooth connectivity.
Xi said China-Maldives exchanges dated back to China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). He said the Maldives attracted a record high of 30,000 tourists in 2013, accounting for 30 per cent of Maldives' total foreign tourist arrivals.
Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Wang Fukang told state-run Xinhua that the country's longest high-quality road will be constructed by Chinese firms and that they will participate in the expansion of Male International Airport.
