A record 11 million tourists have visited Taiwan in 2018, the government said yesterday, a boon for the island as it courts holidaymakers across Asia to make up for a shortfall from China.

The number of Chinese mainlanders visiting Taiwan has dropped dramatically since the 2016 election of president Tsai Ing-wen who has refused to acknowledge Beijing’s stance that the island is part of “one China”.

Beijing still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949.

China has cut off official communication with Tsai’s government and stepped up military and diplomatic pressure. Tour group numbers from the mainland took a nosedive, sparking speculation that Beijing was deliberately turning off the taps to punish Taiwan for electing Tsai.

In response, Tsai’s government went on a charm offensive across Asia, launching advertising campaigns and making it easier for people to visit, particularly from South and Southeast Asia.

That strategy—dubbed the “southbound policy”—has reaped rewards. The 11 millionth visitor, a Japanese doctor, arrived Sunday in what Taiwan’s tourism bureau described as “a new landmark”.