Indonesian officials told to stop shaking down Chinese tourists
Rebuke from Chinese embassy in Indonesia comes after some mainland visitors said they had been forced to hand over ‘tips’ at border controls
The Chinese embassy in Indonesia has accused local customs officials of targeting Chinese tourists and demanding they give them illicit “tips” at border controls.
The embassy published a post on its website advising Chinese tourists not to succumb to pressure to pay illegal tips to customs or other officials.
Indonesia has become a popular destination for Chinese tourists, with over 1.4 million visitors from the mainland travelling to the Southeast Asian nation last year, the embassy statement said.
Some Chinese tourists said Indonesian border officials made them pay tips ranging from 100 yuan (US$14.50) to 300 yuan, according to the Chongqing Times.
The officials work for a number of departments including customs, immigration at airports and the inspection and quarantine bureau, the report said.
The allegations were widely publicised in China last week after a video was posted online showing a mainland tourist who was forced to pay up 500 yuan at an Indonesian airport.