China warns tourists on Auckland crime

Cartoon / Bromhead

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an advisory on its website, warning its citizens about rising crime and theft in Auckland.

"Many Asian tourists have become victims of burglaries in Auckland, New Zealand," says the advisory, written in Chinese script.

"Some Chinese tourists have had their valuables stolen after leaving them in their cars."

The advisory, posted on Monday, does not appear on the Ministry's English-language website.

It said those who intended to visit New Zealand should take extra safety precautions, look after their valuables and refrain from carrying large amounts of cash.

Last month, police warned Asian families living in Auckland to take down national flags from their homes, keep religious festivals low-key and avoid personalised plates on cars to deter burglars.

A spokeswoman for the People's Republic of China Consulate in Auckland said the advisory had been issued after several Chinese people had their belongings stolen while visiting the region.

China is New Zealand's fourth-largest tourism market. More than 100,000 visitors came from there in the year to April, overtaking South Korea and Japan.

A spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said New Zealand was not concerned about the advisory.

"Most New Zealanders would acknowledge that those warnings relate to genuine risks, and we're all aware of them," he said.

The spokesman said Auckland was probably singled out because it had a significant Chinese population and was the international gateway to New Zealand.