馬爾代夫國際機場改擴建項目正式啓動

The Maldives government has kicked off a controversial $800-million expansion of the country's main airport by a Chinese company, a move likely to irritate giant neighbour India.

近日，馬爾代夫政府與一家中國公司簽約了一項頗具爭議的8億美元機場擴張項目，這一舉動可能會激怒其鄰國印度。

President Abdulla Yameen inaugurated construction work in a ceremony on last Wednesday night in the capital Male of the politically troubled country.

這個政治動亂的國家的總統阿卜杜勒·亞米恩於上週三晚上，在首都馬累爲該建設工作揭開了序幕。

"The president stated that with the expansion, the airport would become the economic backbone of the Maldives and that this would be the main gateway of modern day development," a government statement said on last Thursday.

上週四的一份政府聲明宣稱："亞米恩總統表示，隨着該機場的擴建，它將成爲馬爾代夫的經濟支柱，也將是馬爾代夫現代發展的主要門戶。"

Chinese company Beijing Urban Construction Group was awarded the contract during President Xi Jinping's visit to the strategically located Indian Ocean islands in September 2014.

在中國國家主席習近平於2014年9月訪問這個位於印度洋的島國期間，中國的北京城市建設集團公司就已經簽署了該項目的合同。

Two years earlier, the Maldives kicked out Indian infrastructure firm GMR and cancelled its lucrative contract to run the airport. The move sparked fury from New Delhi which threatened to cut off aid to the country, amid concerns the upmarket holiday destination was tilting towards India's rival China.

兩年前，馬爾代夫宣佈取消印度基礎建設集團對馬爾代夫馬累國際機場的管理合同。此舉激怒了新德里政府。印度方面擔心馬爾代夫的高檔度假勝地會向競爭對手中國傾斜，因此威脅稱要切斷對該國的援助。

The Maldives government, which says the airport will not be privatised again, has said the expansion is needed to accommodate increasing tourist numbers to the upmarket honeymoon destination.

馬爾代夫政府表示，該機場將不會再次私有化，此次擴建是爲了滿足來這個高檔蜜月地點度假的不斷增長的遊客數量。

It comes despite ongoing political turmoil in the Maldives which has dented its reputation as a peaceful tourist paradise.

儘管馬爾代夫政局的持續動盪影響了其作爲和平旅遊聖地的聲譽，但是擴建工作依然會如期展開。