Committee holds closed-door meeting on China-Maldives FTA
The China-Maldives FTA was signed on 7 December 2017 during the administration of former President Yameen and came into force from January 2025.
The Parliament’s Economic Affairs Committee held a closed-door session on Monday to discuss the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the governments of Maldives and China.
The meeting, chaired by Fuvahmulah Central MP Ali Fazad of the People’s National Congress (PNC), included Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed and senior officials from the Ministry of Economic Development.
At the beginning of the session, PNC MP for Machchangolhi Central, Ahmed Zameer, proposed that the meeting be conducted in private, citing concerns over the nature of the information that might be disclosed. His motion was seconded by PNC MP Ali Hussain.
Members representing the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) opposed the motion, arguing that there was no basis for confidentiality in discussing an agreement that has already been made public.
MDP MP Mauroof Zakir said, “It should not be kept secret.” Echoing his view, MP Ameen Faisal noted, “This FTA is a publicised agreement; all the information in it is available.”
Despite these objections, the motion to close the meeting to the public passed with four votes in favour. Three members voted against, and two abstained. Following the vote, the committee’s live broadcast on YouTube was suspended.
The China-Maldives FTA was signed on 7 December 2017 during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen and came into force from January 2025. The agreement is available on the Ministry of Economic Development’s website.
According to the Ministry, the FTA provides for the elimination of tariffs on 70 percent of Chinese imports into the Maldives and allows for duty exemptions on 90 percent of goods over a five-year period.
