The government has asserted its commitment to concrete reforms to ensure the safety and well-being of Chinese citizens visiting the Maldives.
The assertion was made during the Seventh Meeting of the “Joint Meeting Mechanism to Deal with the Issue of Safety of Chinese Tourists in the Maldives”.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sheryna Abdul Samad, the Ambassador of China to the Maldives, Kong Xianhua and the Minister of State for Tourism and Environment, Dr Abdulla Niyaz.
In her opening remarks, State Minister Sheryna underscored the strong and longstanding partnership between the Maldives and China, highlighting tourism as a central pillar of bilateral cooperation. She noted that China remains the Maldives’ largest source market for tourism, with over 320,000 Chinese visitors recorded this year so far, reflecting the high level of trust Chinese travelers place in the Maldives.
The State Minister stressed the urgent need for stronger preventive measures, rigorous enforcement of safety standards, and enhanced inter-agency and industry-wide coordination, particularly in relation to water-based activities in tourism facilities. She called for transforming the Joint Meeting Mechanism into a results-oriented platform driven by accountability, clear responsibilities, and time-bound actions.
Highlighting the shared responsibility of government authorities, tourism operators, and partners in China, she emphasized the importance of cooperation in regulation, inspections, traveler awareness, and insurance coverage, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to concrete reforms to ensure the safety and well-being of Chinese citizens visiting the Maldives.
Looking ahead, State Minister Sheryna announced that the Maldives is working closely with the Embassy of China and the Ministry of Tourism to host a Ministerial-level forum on tourism cooperation next year, which will focus not only on safety and security but also on broader investments and tourism promotion.
Ambassador Kong Xianhua expressed his gratitude to the Government of Maldives for its consistent cooperation and efforts to safeguard Chinese tourists in the country.
The meeting concluded with renewed resolve to implement actionable strategies, improve safety awareness, and foster a secure and welcoming environment for the Chinese visitors.
The Joint Meeting Mechanism is a bilateral discussion platform initiated in 2014, to bring together key tourism stakeholders with a view to improving safety standards for Chinese tourists. It is held annually to take stock of the implementation of safety protocols, to improve inter-agency coordination, and to identify gaps in policy with a view to addressing challenges and shortcomings.