Time to nip trouble in the bud

European nations should take more steps to ensure safety of tourists

Chinese people who travel to Belgium are warmly greeted upon arrival by a text message reminding them about safety issues and offering contacts, if needed, at the local Chinese embassy or consulate.

An increasing number of reports of robbery and theft recently prompted the Chinese embassy in Belgium to implement several extra security measures to help prevent unfortunate incidents.

It opened an official account on WeChat, a widely used instant messaging service in China, to offer real-time online communication and assistance to Chinese who are having difficulties in Belgium.

The account, launched last month, was the first established by any of China's overseas diplomatic missions.

The embassy also identified certain potentially unsafe places, such as train stations in Brussels and Antwerp, metro stops and even Chinese restaurants in Belgium, where such crimes usually happen.

In some cases, the embassy said, one or two in a group of distract victims by pouring water or oil on them, or by throwing money or other things on the ground before stealing their money or bags.

Or the muggers may commit the crime directly by forcing the victim to hand over money or expensive items.

I am fortunate in that I have not had any unpleasant experience during my stay in Brussels so far. But what I have heard suggests that this city is getting less safe, especially in areas near the Brussels Midi and Brussels Nord train stations. Other parts of Brussels are being affected, too.

One of my friends, a Chinese journalist, was using her iPhone in the Schuman roundabout, in the heart of this European capital. It is where many European institutions are based.

A robber spotted her mobile and grabbed it from her hand. My friend was not afraid, thinking that it was midday, with many passersby around. She shouted at the male robber and sought help from other people near her. Nobody came to her aid, but her shouting frightened the robber and he ran away, hurriedly returning her iPhone.

Not all victims react that way, though. Last year, the embassy received at least 15 reports of lost or stolen passports every month and usually, the documents had gone missing with wallets, bags and suitcases.

It seems that Brussels is not alone among unsafe tourist destinations in Europe. After China's ambassador to Belgium Liao Liqiang posted the warning via his account on WeChat, a mutual friend in Paris commented: "The Chinese embassy in Paris should follow the practice."

The friend is right. Paris is famous for its tourist attractions and traveler-friendly Metro. But at these places, it is very difficult to have relaxing moments or to blend in with the magnificent scenery or buildings. Visitors must be very cautious when suspicious people approach them, and it makes travel very stressful.

My conclusions are based on my own experience. Last April in Paris, I was buying Metro tickets at a machine in Gare du Nord. A group of young people came up to me and tried to explain how to use a credit card to buy a ticket. Suddenly, I felt someone unzipping my bag on my back. When I turned around, they stopped and walked away.

Another friend of mine is planning to send his son, who is majoring in French at a Beijing university, to Paris by himself for the winter holiday. He asked me for some tips, and I replied, "Paris is worth a visit, but you should be very cautious when strangers approach."

My friend asked: "Then how is he supposed to make friends in Paris?" I could not offer any more suggestions. In the end, my friend stuck to his plan, saying it would be a test for his 19-year-old son.

Of course, the list of potentially unsafe European tourist destinations is long. You can name Rome, Naples, Athens, London, Amsterdam and others, even though Europeans believe that their cities are much safer than those in the United States.

And it is true that a growing number of Chinese have had unhappy experiences while traveling in Europe. Sometimes I wonder why such beautiful tourist attractions cannot be made safer for visitors.

Tourism is one of the major sources of jobs for Europeans. Currently the industry supports about 20 million jobs, not to mention all the indirect opportunities. In recent years, Chinese tourists have increasingly chosen these cities as their holiday and shopping destinations, following in the footsteps of Americans, Canadians, Japanese, Koreans and Russians.

Of course, many Chinese go to Europe and have a delightful time, promising that they will return, if possible.

But in the era of new media, negative messages about robbery and theft travel fast. Warnings and tips on websites are mounting, and this may cause some holidaymakers to reconsider their plans before finalizing their European itineraries.

So it is high time that European nations clamp down on tourist cities by increasing patrolling, reacting more quickly when robberies are reported and strictly enforcing the law.

If not, robbery and theft will become more rampant. In addition to hurting tourism, it will harm the investment environment.

Chinese investors have started to flood in and safety concerns may deter them. This is a scenario that Europeans would not want to see, given that joblessness is still a major headache for many countries.

The author is chief correspondent of China Daily based in Brussels. Contact the writer at fujing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 12/13/2013 page15)