China is not planning to build military bases in the Maldives, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, after the Maldives allowed foreigners to own land despite opposition concern the reform could be used for military expansion by China.
The Indian Ocean island nation passed legislation last week to allow foreigners to own land within a project site on condition at least 70 percent of the area is reclaimed from the sea.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party said the bill could give "unprecedented access to foreign parties to operate in the Maldives." One party member said the government is facilitating a more robust Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean.
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