The Maldives are facing a political crisis that has implications not only for the tropical nation, but also for the regional rivalry between India and China. On Feb. 5, President Abdulla Yameen declared a 15-day state of emergency and ordered the arrests of high-ranking government figures such as Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the Maldives for 30 years and is, incidentally, Yameen's half-brother. Yameen's sweeping directive is a response to the Supreme Court's Feb. 2 ruling that overturned the conviction of — and ordered a retrial for — nine political convicts, including Yameen's exiled predecessor, Mohamed Nasheed. In addition, the court ordered Yameen's government to reinstate 12 members of parliament who were dismissed for defecting to the opposition.