00:00 In a bid to offset the recent dip in tourism from India, Maldivian President Mohammad Mujtaba
00:06 Muidzu has made a direct appeal to China during his ongoing state visit.
00:11 The appeal comes in the wake of a diplomatic row that resulted in a spate of reservation
00:15 cancellations by Indian tourists following derogatory remarks made by Maldivian ministers
00:21 against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
00:24 Speaking at the Maldives Business Forum in Fujian province on Tuesday, President Muidzu
00:29 expressed gratitude for China's support.
00:32 He hailed the Belt and Road Initiative or BRI projects initiated by Chinese President
00:36 Xi Jinping in 2014.
00:38 The Maldivian president specifically called on China to bolster the flow of Chinese tourists
00:44 to the Maldives, emphasising the importance of tourism to the nation's economy.
00:49 In addition to the appeal, reports indicate that the two countries have signed a US$50
00:53 million project aimed at developing an integrated tourism zone in the Indian Ocean island.
01:00 Maldivian media has confirmed the signing of the US$50 million project between the two
01:04 nations focusing on the development of an integrated tourism zone in the Maldives.
01:10 This appeal for increased Chinese tourism follows a diplomatic row sparked by derogatory
01:15 remarks from some Maldivian ministers against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
01:20 The tensions escalated after PM Modi shared a video of his visit to Lakshadweep, prompting
01:24 Indian tourists to cancel reservations.
01:28 The diplomatic spat has strained relations leading to a decline in Indian tourism to
01:32 the Maldives, despite India being the largest tourist market for the country in 2023.
01:38 Before the COVID pandemic, China held the top spot as the largest source of tourists
01:42 for the Maldives, with over 2.8 lakh visitors.
01:46 However, China is currently grappling with the revival of its domestic and foreign tourism
01:50 due to a nearly four-year lockdown policy and the continued slowdown of its economy.
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