Maldives airport to be expanded with controversial $800m China contract

The Maldives government has kicked off a controversial $800-million expansion of the country’s main airport by a Chinese company, a move likely to irritate giant neighbour India.

马尔代夫政府与中国公司签约了一项有争议的8亿美元机场扩张项目，这一举动可能会激怒大邻国印度。

President Abdulla Yameen inaugurated construction work in a ceremony on Wednesday night in the capital Male of the politically troubled country.

这个政治动乱的国家的总统阿卜杜勒·亚米恩于周三晚上在首都马累为该建设工作揭开了序幕。

“The president stated that with the expansion, the airport would become the economic backbone of the Maldives and that this would be the main gateway of modern day development,” a government statement said on Thursday.

“总统说，随着扩建，该机场将成为马尔代夫的经济支柱，这将是现代发展的主要门户，”星期四的一份政府声明说。

Chinese company Beijing Urban Construction Group was awarded the contract during President Xi Jinping’s visit to the strategically located Indian Ocean islands in September 2014.

习近平主席于2014年9月访问这个位于印度洋的群岛期间，中国北京城市建设集团公司被授予了该合同。

Two years earlier, the Maldives kicked out Indian infrastructure firm GMR which was given the airport under a privatisation deal and cancelled its lucrative contract to run the airport.

两年前，马尔代夫剔除了印度基础设施公司GMR，该公司是一项私有化交易的合作方，并取消了利润丰厚的合同来自行运行机场。

The move sparked fury from New Delhi which threatened to cut off aid to the country, amid concerns the upmarket holiday destination was tilting towards India’s rival China.

此举激怒了新德里，担心那里的高档度假胜地会向印度的对手中国倾斜，新德里因此威胁要切断对该国的援助。

The expansion comes as Yameen is set to arrive in India on Sunday for an official visit, and will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

扩建之际，总统亚米恩将在星期日抵达印度进行正式访问，并将会见印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪。

The Maldives government, which says the airport will not be privatised again, has said the expansion is needed to accommodate increasing tourist numbers to the upmarket honeymoon destination.

马尔代夫政府说，该机场将不会再次私有化，称该扩建是为了适应来这个高档蜜月目的地度假的不断增长的游客数量。

The expansion means the Airbus A380 will be able to land at the airport which will also be able to handle 7.5 million passengers a year.

该扩建意味着空客A380能在此机场降落，这将能够迎接每年750万人次。

It comes despite ongoing political turmoil in the Maldives which has dented its reputation as a peaceful tourist paradise.

尽管马尔代夫政局持续动荡削弱了其作为和平旅游天堂的声誉，扩建依然会如期展开。

Yameen has faced international criticism over the jailing of dissidents and political opponents including former president and now opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed.

亚米恩因监禁持不同政见者和政治对手受到国际社会的批评，被监禁者包括前总统兼反对派领导人穆罕默德·纳希德。

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来源:the guardian爱语吧作者:Sylvia