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Premier Zhu backs Maldives battle over rising sea level
( 2001-05-17 13:33 ) (7 )

Premier Zhu Rongji, currently visiting the Maldives, expressed support to the tiny island republic's attempts to steer global attention on the rising sea level, officials said Thursday.

They said Zhu voiced support for President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's efforts to focus world attention on global warming that could wipe small island states off the face of the earth.

"The Chinese Government attaches great importance to global environment and is ready to work with your country and the rest of the international community to create a better ecological environment for the entire humanity," Zhu said at a banquet late Wednesday.

"We fully understand and sympathise with your position and views on the status of the least developed countries," Zhu said.

The Maldives told the United Nations in 1987 that a two-metre (6.6 feet) rise in the sea level would submerge virtually all of the country's 1,192 coral islands scattered across the equator.

"That would be the death of a nation," Gayoom told the United Nations. "With a mere one metre rise also, a storm surge would be catastrophic, and possibly fatal to the nation."

Zhu also noted Maldives' security concerns heightened after an abortive coup supported by Sri Lankan Tamil mercenaries in November 1988. The coup fizzled out as India sent a plane load of troops to the Maldives.

"Together with your country, we will try to encourage the international community to pay more attention to the security of small countries," Zhu said.

Zhu's visit was the most important by a Chinese delegation to the Maldives, Gayoom was quoted as saying by the Maldives Haveeru News Service.

During their talks in Male on Wednesday, Zhu described Gayoom as an old friend of the China and a man who had made a positive contribution to the development of bilateral ties.

Zhu thanked the Maldives government for "its consistent and firm support to China on the issues of human rights, Taiwan and Tibet."

The visit to the Maldives was the third leg of Zhu's four-nation tour of South Asia.

He has already been to Pakistan and Nepal and is due to leave for Sri Lanka later Thursday for talks with President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

He would also visit Thailand before returning to China.