Pro-Beijing Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu defies successive leaders, chooses to travel to China before India

Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu is likely to visit China this month, ahead of his visit to India, making him the first democratically elected Maldivian leader to travel to Beijing before he gets to New Delhi. A report by ToI quoted a source in Male saying China and the Maldives are in talks for a bilateral visit to Beijing by Muizzu that could take place in a matter of a couple of weeks. Muizzu, considered to be pro-China, also defied his successive Maldivian presidents, who chose India as their first port of call. China will be Muizzu's third foreign trip abroad…