Editor’s Note: The following column is based on remarks made by the author at the China–Sri Lanka–Maldives Tourism Forum held in Colombo on 16 June 2025.
Today, we gather in the beautiful island country of Sri Lanka, the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” to jointly witness a historic moment for tourism cooperation among China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. First and foremost, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, I extend my warmest welcome and sincerest gratitude to all government officials, tourism practitioners, experts, scholars, and friends from all walks of life from our three nations who are attending this forum.
President Xi Jinping of China once pointed out that tourism serves as a bridge for disseminating civilization, cultural exchanges, and enhancing friendship, and it is a vital channel for mutual learning among different countries and cultures. In line with today’s forum theme, I would like to offer four observations.
I. A Millennium of Silk Road Friendship, A New Journey Across Thousands of Miles
The friendship between China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives spans millennia, much like the continuous azure waves of the Indian Ocean. As early as the Maritime Silk Road era, Chinese merchant ships frequently docked at Sri Lanka’s ancient ports, and Maldivian pearls adorned the imperial courts of the Tang Dynasty. Both Master Faxian’s journey to the West in pursuit of Buddhist scriptures and Zheng He’s seven maritime voyages left profound historical imprints in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Today, this friendship remains as vibrant as ever. China is the largest source market for tourism in the Maldives, with 260,000 Chinese tourists visiting in 2024, accounting for 13% of their total international arrivals. For Sri Lanka, China is the fifth largest source market, with over 130,000 Chinese visitors in 2024, showing rapid year-on-year growth. The Maldives and Sri Lanka are considered “island gems” by Chinese tourists, with their pristine beaches, mysterious ancient cities, and spectacular wildlife captivating countless hearts.
II. Enhancing Complementary Strengths, Striving for Shared Success
Each island is a world, and each city a legend.
Our three nations boast unique tourism resources:
- China: Five thousand years of civilization, the Great Wall, the Mogao Grottoes, and the ethereal beauty of Jiuzhaigou.
- Sri Lanka: The Sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic, the ancient city of Sigiriya, and the majestic leopards of Yala.
- Maldives: Azure seas, white sands, underwater villas, and breathtaking coral reefs.
As the saying goes, “a single thread does not make a wire, nor does a single tree make a forest.” Tourism cooperation among our three countries is not merely a simple aggregation; it is an elevation through complementary strengths. For the Maldives and Sri Lanka, tourism is a crucial economic pillar and a primary source of foreign exchange income. For China, deepening cooperation means offering a richer array of choices for Chinese tourists and strengthening the tourism ties of the Belt and Road Initiative.
III. Innovating Approaches and Measures, Building a New Maritime Silk Road Cultural Tourism Corridor
“Those with shared aspirations are not deterred by mountains and seas.”
Today’s forum is a milestone for trilateral tourism cooperation and a significant step in implementing the consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and Maldivian President Muizzu last year, and Sri Lankan President Dissanayake this year during their respective visits to China. To this end, I propose three recommendations:
1) Jointly Build a Convenient Tourism Circle: Promote more direct flight routes and introduce “multi-stop” tourism products, allowing tourists to explore all three countries in a single journey.
2) Jointly Shape a Quality Tourism Chain: Strengthen the alignment of standards for tourism safety, service quality, and ecological protection. Encourage joint development of high-end resorts, cultural discovery tours, and eco-adventure products by enterprises from all three countries. Implement more substantive measures to facilitate tax refunds for tourists’ purchases.
3) Jointly Outline a Cultural Tourism Map: Organize trilateral tourism and cultural festivals, exchange performing arts groups, and host intangible cultural heritage exhibitions. Enhance tour guide training to cultivate more tourism professionals proficient in Chinese, Sinhala, and Dhivehi. Promote youth exchanges to foster deep friendships among the future generations of our three nations through travel.
IV. The Tide Rises with Competing Sails, Moving Forward with One Heart
Friends become closer with more visits, and relatives become dearer with more interactions.
We believe that through today’s forum, Chinese tourists will help Sri Lanka achieve its goal of attracting 3 million visitors by 2025. The luxurious resorts of the Maldives will entice more Chinese tourists to experience the unique charm of “one island, one world.” Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage will showcase the brilliant splendor of the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” to the world.
When the tide is calm, the banks are wide; with a favorable wind, a single sail hangs poised. Let us seize this forum as an opportunity to speak freely, contribute wisdom, forge consensus, and advance cooperation. Together, let us forge a new paradigm of China-Sri Lanka-Maldives tourism cooperation and contribute to building a China-Sri Lanka-Maldives community with a shared future.
