The Maldivian government and top Chinese officials have initiated discussions to promote the safety and well-being of Chinese tourists to the Indian Ocean group of islands, the Foreign Ministry said in a short statement on Tuesday.

The first "Joint Meeting Mechanism" to discuss the safety and security of Chinese tourists in the Maldives has been held between foreign minister Dunya Maumoon and Chinese Ambassador Wang Fukang.

Dunya spoke of the importance of strengthening tourism ties between China and the Maldives and stressed the significance of the joint meeting mechanism to facilitate a line of communication regarding the safety of Chinese tourists, reported the foreign ministry.

"Ambassador Wang Fukang thanked the government of Maldives for the coordination and cooperation extended in ensuring a safe environment to the Chinese tourists in the Maldives," the statement read.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Maldivian Foreign Service and the embassy of China, along with representatives from the tourism ministry, the immigration department, the police, the Maldives Customs Service, as well as relevant tourism industry groups.

The joint meeting mechanism was agreed under an MoU signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit to the Maldives in September 2014, during which President Abdulla Yameen expressed his hope Chinese visitors would increase three-fold over the next four years -- which would mean nearly 1 million Chinese visitors a year.

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