COLOMBO Massive debts could force the Maldives to cede territory to China as early as 2019, according to former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, who also warns that a flawed presidential election this year would open the door for a Chinese takeover of the island nation.
"We can't pay the $1.5-2 billion debt to China," Nasheed told the NikkeiAsian Review in an interview in Sri Lanka. He said the Indian Ocean country, known mostly as a tourist destination, takes in less than $100 million a month in government revenue.
