The government of the Maldives has welcomed the announcement by the government of China to end the COVID-19 restrictions for travellers starting from January 8, 2023.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China will re-open the country to those with work and study visas, or seeking to visit family, and will no longer implement quarantine measures. However, travellers going to China will require a negative test result within 48 hours of departure. The ministry said the Maldives looks forward to the resumption of flights between the two countries in the near future and is eagerly awaiting to welcome back tourists from China.
The ministry also said that China has been an important contributor to the tourism industry in the Maldives. Chinese travellers to the Maldives numbered over 280,000 in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the closing of the borders.