Months after Richard Nixon in 1972 made his grand, figurative chess move against the Soviet Union by re-engaging with China, the American-Soviet rivalry was on display in the actual chess world.

MALE, Maldives (AP) — Maldivians voted in parliamentary elections Sunday, in a ballot crucial for President Mohamed Muizzu, whose policies are keenly watched by India and China as they vie for influence in the archipelago nation. Both countries are seeking a foothold in the Maldives, which has a strategic location in the Indian Ocean.

Voters in the Maldives were flocking to the polls on Sunday in a parliamentary election that may determine whether the Indian Ocean island nation continues its shift toward China and away from its longstanding ties with India.

Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu’s pro-China party won a landslide majority in Sunday’s parliamentary election – an outcome that is set to shift the Indian Ocean archipelago away from its traditional partner India.

President of the Maldives Mohamed Muizzu delivers a national statement at the World Climate Action Summit during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 1,

Maldives is holding parliamentary elections in a ballot crucial for President Mohamed Muizzu, who has turned the archipelago nation away from longtime ally India since coming to power last September.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s party has swept to victory in the country’s parliamentary elections, according to local media reports, giving the China-friendly leader a stronger political mandate.

Maldives’ ruling People’s National Congress party won an absolute majority in parliament in elections held Sunday, giving President Mohamed Muizzu’s pro-China policies a boost.