Representatives of China, Sri Lanka and the Maldives jointly launch the Joint Activities to Enhance Tourism Exchange and Cooperation between China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives by the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities, at the opening ceremony of China-Sri Lanka-Maldives Tourism Forum, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 16, 2025. (Photo by Jiang Jian/Xinhua)

COLOMBO, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The week-long China-Sri Lanka-Maldives Tourism Forum opened here on Monday with over 100 participants including officials, representatives from tourism and aviation sectors, experts and scholars.

In her opening address, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya extended heartfelt gratitude to China for its long-standing, valuable support to Sri Lanka in infrastructure, people-to-people exchanges, education, culture, and cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

She expressed the hope that the forum would deepen regional mutual trust, translate visions into dialogue and dialogue into action, and further promote understanding among the peoples of the three nations.

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said that tourism cooperation among China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives is not merely a simple aggregation, but 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, while for China, deepening cooperation means offering a richer array of choices for Chinese tourists and further strengthening tourism ties under the Belt and Road framework, he said.

During the opening ceremony, the "joint activities to enhance tourism exchanges and cooperation between China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives by the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities" was launched.

The forum will also feature a series of activities including seminars, presentations and promotions, as well as business negotiations.

The forum is co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of the Maldives, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Chinese Embassy in the Maldives. ■

Sri Lankan artists perform at the opening ceremony of China-Sri Lanka-Maldives Tourism Forum in Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 16, 2025.

The week-long China-Sri Lanka-Maldives Tourism Forum opened here on Monday with over 100 participants including officials, representatives from tourism and aviation sectors, experts and scholars. (Xinhua/Chen Dongshu)

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of China-Sri Lanka-Maldives Tourism Forum in Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 16, 2025.

The week-long China-Sri Lanka-Maldives Tourism Forum opened here on Monday with over 100 participants including officials, representatives from tourism and aviation sectors, experts and scholars. (Photo by Jiang Jian/Xinhua)