China’s Indian Ocean Meeting was Denied by Australian and Maldivian Officials

China, November 28, 2022: In a major embarrassment to China on the world stage, Australia and Maldives have clarified that they did not attend the China-led Indian Ocean region forum meet.

The meeting was organized by China International Development Cooperation Agency. And in the joint statement released the government agency claimed that 19 people participated in the event.

It took place in the Yunnan province on the 21st of November and now Maldives Foreign Ministry clarified its position. Malay said there was no official representation from the country, adding that they relayed the no participation message to the Chinese Embassy on the 15th of November.

They relayed the no-participation message to the Chinese Embassy. Meanwhile, in the Maldives, former President Mohamed Waheed Hassan was present at the forum meeting but it could not be considered an official representation by the country.

Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell has also spoken on the issue. Posting a tweet he said that, contrary to media reporting, no Australian government official attended the China-Indian Ocean forum on development cooperation, similar to Maldives, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, was present at the meeting.

His participation can not be considered an official representation of Australia. The CIDCE was founded in 2018. It is a development and foreign aid agency led by a former Chinese ambassador to India.

The agency funds project mainly related to the Belt and Road Initiative. It earlier came under China’s commerce ministry, but at present falls under the State Council.