China advises its tourists in Sri Lanka to respect local laws amid rising complaints

Beijing, Aug 6 (PTI) China on Wednesday advised its citizens travelling to Sri Lanka to strictly comply with local laws and customs to avoid negatively affecting image of Chinese nationals in the country.
    In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said that incidents of Chinese nationals being detained or questioned by authorities in Sri Lanka for suspected violations of local laws and regulations have occurred frequently in recent times.
    It advised Chinese tourists to strictly comply with local laws and regulations to avoid negatively affecting the image of Chinese nationals in the country.
    According to the statement released by China's social media app, WeChat, the Chinese Embassy said incidents involving its tourists have negatively affected the public image of Chinese nationals and may also impact legitimate rights and travel plans of Chinese citizens, state-run Global Times reported here. 
    Sri Lanka is currently experiencing a tourism boom, with visitor numbers surpassing 1.3 million so far this year. Indian tourists remain the largest group, while Chinese tourists rank fourth.
    With summer vacation underway, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Sri Lanka is increasing significantly.
    The statement reminded the tourists it is strictly prohibited to bring cigarettes into the country, or to bring items such as Salacia chinensis, a climbing plant, animal and plant specimens, or foreign currency, gemstones, and other valuables exceeding the permitted limits out of the country. 
    The embassy also asked Chinese tourists not to engage in activities that are inconsistent with the type of visa they hold, and under no circumstances should they engage in illegal or criminal activities. 
    It said that Chinese tourists should consciously resist and stay away from pornography, gambling, and drugs. Chinese nationals abroad must abide by both the Chinese and Sri Lankan laws and regulations, it added. 
    According to the embassy, the amended Chinese Criminal Law has officially criminalised cross-border gambling. Chinese nationals who participate in gambling activities abroad may be in violation of Chinese law.
    The Chinese embassy also reminded the Chinese tourists that it is prohibited to unlawfully use a passport as collateral or to withhold someone else’s passport.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)