Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has participated in a major military exercise to prepare in the event that the United States has to fight a war against China.
The exercise, which involved a total of 10 countries, including the US, began on October 7 in Hawaii, Alaska and Palau. The countries that participated in the training were the US, Maldives, the United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
The US has not officially stated that the exercise was aimed at preparing for war with China. However, the New York Times cited US officials and confirmed its objective.
If the US and China begin a war, it could be the biggest and most intense war in the world. China and the United States are both nuclear powers and their allies are also nuclear armed.
The most likely scenario for a war between the US and China in the near future is due to Chinese President Xi Jinping's order to prepare to take over Taiwan before 2027. The US believes this is a threat to their interests.
If the United States and China go to war, they will fight fiercely on land, in the air and at sea. The training in October prepared forces for all these scenarios. Different countries also used their weapons and military vehicles.
Maldives was one of the countries that participated in the exercises with the least number of troops. However, Marine Corps Captain Ali Shareef of MNDF told West Hawaii Today that the training will benefit the Maldives.
"It’s a great opportunity for a country like Maldives to be participating in an exercise at this scale. Usually, we participate in bilateral exercises, and this is the first time we have participated in an exercise at this scale," he was quoted as saying.
Recently, the US has been working hard to strengthen its relationship with the Maldives. Senior US officials have met with Maldivian officials more than 30 times since the new government took office. Several senior US Navy officials have also visited the country.
The US has also decided to donate three military patrol vehicles and a military helicopter and pledged about USD 12 million in aid.
Despite the MNDF taking part in a military training in Hawaii, China is one of Maldives' largest development partners. In addition to the construction of the Sinamale' Bridge, China is also helping to develop the airport. China is also one of the two largest lenders to Maldives.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu maintains close ties with China. He worked with China when he was mayor of Male'. On November 17, 2023, President Muizzu made his first state visit to China since taking office.
