China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on its website this week it was adding more overseas destinations to its travel blacklist for Chinese citizens as part of its war against cross-border gambling.
China has been known to use the spending power of its citizens as an economic weapon by restricting travel to countries that incur its displeasure. (Berndt Westneck/Getty)
The move aims to “better regulate the tourism market and safeguard the lives and property of Chinese citizens”, the ministry said.
Officials in Beijing introduced the blacklist in August last year, but have, so far, declined to make it public. It has been speculated that likely suspects for inclusion would be the countries the Chinese most frequently visit to gamble, such as the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam.