China Sends Over a Million Bottles of Tibet Glacier Water to Parched Maldives Amid Growing Bilateral Ties

Maldives has received a Chinese donation of 1500 metric tons of glacier water from Tibet, according to an announcement by its government on Tuesday. The gift of over a million bottles of water comes amidst growing bilateral ties between the two countries and immediately after the signing of a military assistance pact between them early this month. Experts have described China’s donation both as a diplomatic tactic and an attempt to capture the thirst-driven market in the island nation. The supply of fresh water in the Maldives, where 25 percent of the gross domestic product comes from tourism, is precarious. The only available natural water resources in the islands are rain and groundwater, which is severely depleted....