Mauritius PM calls for closer ties with China, but insists he won’t let Beijing take Chagos Islands

The prime minister of Mauritius has called for a closer relationship with China, but insisted he would not allow Beijing to take control of the Chagos Islands.

Senior US officials, including Marco Rubio, Donald Trump’s secretary of state, have expressed concerns that ceding control of the islands to Mauritius under a deal signed by the UK could advance China’s military ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.

But Navin Ramgoolam dismissed these allegations as a “disinformation campaign”, saying he was surprised by the obsession of an American parliamentarian who “claims that if Mauritius regains Chagos, China will establish a presence there”.

“There is a fixation on this issue, which is entirely unfounded,” he added, while addressing the ongoing negotiations surrounding the sovereignty of the archipelago.

The prime minister was speaking during a national banquet marking the Chinese Spring Festival hosted in collaboration with the Federation of Chinese Societies and the United Chinese Associations.

It comes after the UK and Mauritius in October signed a deal, one of Sir Keir Starmer’s first major foreign policy decisions, which would see Britain ceding sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.

The deal would also secure the long-term lease for the US air base on Diego Garcia.

In November, when Mr Ramgoolam-led Alliance for Change returned to power, it opposed the deal in its current form, seeking renegotiations to ensure complete sovereignty and increased lease and infrastructure-building payments among other things.

The draft of the new agreement, which has been finalised according to lead negotiator Gavin Glover, now faces potential collapse as fears grow in both Mauritius and the UK over resistance from the US administration under Mr Trump.

In his speech to the Chinese community, Mr Ramgoolam said he regretted missed opportunities under the previous government to engage with Beijing, underscoring his ties with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president.

“Through several anecdotes, he spoke at length about his relationship with the Chinese community and in particular with the President of China,” reported L’Express.

He said his cabinet has two Sino-Mauritian members of Parliament, proving its commitment to diversity and representation.

Mr Ramgoolam also underscored the long-standing friendship and strong bilateral relations between Mauritius and China.

He highlighted that Mauritius was the first African nation to sign a Free Trade Agreement with China and recalled how the Chinese president, during his visits, always reaffirmed that “China never forgets its friends”.

His father, Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, is known as the architect of the China-Mauritius ties after the island nation established diplomatic ties with Beijing in April 1972.

“Whatever I ask of China, I will achieve,” he said during a speech honouring his father on Sept 18 2013.

After the free trade agreement, the Bank of Mauritius set up a Renminbi clearance centre, further elevating its economic diplomacy with China.

Mauritius has also maintained its strong economic relations with India.

In February 2021, shortly after the China-Mauritius free trade agreement came into effect, Mauritius entered into a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement with India.

Following in his father’s footsteps, he adhered to an implicit “India First” policy, giving precedence to security and defence on critical matters.

Mr Ramgoolam has repeatedly denied the charge as a disinformation campaign, saying his country is aligned with India, not China and says the deal would secure the USA’s base at Diego Garcia.

“It’s essential to take the time needed. There is a disinformation campaign in the US claiming Mauritius is close to China and might allow it to establish bases, which is entirely false. Mauritius is aligned with India, not China. Trump must understand that supporting this agreement secures the American base at Diego Garcia,” he said.