Maldivian president in Beijing

Maldivian president in Beijing

BEIJING, China, Dec. 26 Kyodo - Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony for the former, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Dec. 7, 2017.

Japan, Maldives leaders exchange football shirts

Japan, Maldives leaders exchange football shirts

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe (R) and Maldives President Abdulla Yameen smile after exchanging shirts of the two countries' national football teams at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on April 15, 2014. The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in maritime security and economic development at their meeting.

Maldives president in Japan

Maldives president in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Maldives President Abdulla Yameen (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands after signing a joint statement in Tokyo on April 15, 2014.

Maldives president in Japan

Maldives president in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Maldives President Abdulla Yameen (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hold a joint press conference in Tokyo on April 15, 2014.

Maldives president in Japan

Maldives president in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R front) speaks during a meeting with Maldives President Abdulla Yameen (L) in Tokyo on April 15, 2014.

Maldives president in Japan

Maldives president in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Maldives President Abdulla Yameen (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands before their meeting in Tokyo on April 15, 2014.

Maldives president in Japan

Maldives president in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's Emperor Akihito (R) meets Maldives President Abdulla Yameen at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on April 15, 2014. (Pool photo)

Maldives president in Japan

Maldives president in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Maldives President Abdulla Yameen (L front) and Japan's Emperor Akihito shake hands after their meeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on April 15, 2014. (Pool photo)

Maldivian president in Beijing

Maldivian president in Beijing

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony for the former, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Dec. 7, 2017. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Maldives in state of emergency

Maldives in state of emergency

Maldives police officers stand guard on a street in the capital Male on Feb. 9, 2018, after President Abdulla Yameen of the Indian Ocean islands country defied a court order to release political dissidents and declared a state of emergency on Feb. 5. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Maldives in state of emergency

Maldives in state of emergency

Men walk past the Supreme Court of the Maldives in the capital Male on Feb. 7, 2018, following the arrest of its chief justice in a conflict with the government. President Abdulla Yameen of the Indian Ocean islands country called a court order to release political dissidents "a coup" and declared a state of emergency on Feb. 5. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo