China today warned its citizens not to travel to the Maldives for holidays due to the political turmoil there, in a setback to beleaguered President Abdulla Yameen whose country's economy relies heavily on Chinese tourists. This led to a tense standoff as Yameen has not yet implemented the apex court's ruling leading to agitations by the Opposition parties. "What happened in the Maldives is Maldives' internal affair. The Spring Festival holiday, which includes Chinese New Year celebrations is peak season for Chinese citizens to travel to the Maldives for tourism, Geng said. "In light of the relevant situation we advise the Chinese tourists in the Maldives to closely follow the situation and strengthen security awareness.

Source: dna February 05, 2018 13:49 UTC