Maldives Set to Pull Out of China Free Trade Deal, Says Senior Lawmaker

Maldives Set to Pull Out of China Free Trade Deal, Says Senior Lawmaker
A general view of the Mulee-aage, the official residence of the President of the Maldives, in Male on Feb. 7, 2018. STR/AFP/Getty Images
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MALE—The Maldives’ new government will pull out of a free trade agreement (FTA) with China because it was a mistake for the tiny nation to strike such a pact with the world’s second biggest economy, the head of the largest party in the ruling alliance said.

It is the latest sign of a backlash against China in the Maldives, best-known for its luxury resorts on palm-fringed coral islands.