The country remains an attractive destination for leisure and business travellers from China, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in a statement.
The statement on Friday was in response to queries on a circular by China’s embassy here reminding its citizens to steer clear of gambling.
The Chinese Embassy in Singapore on Monday had asked its citizens in the republic to “stay away” from gambling, adding that cross-border gambling violates Chinese laws and may be tied to other crimes like smuggling and money laundering.
In response to media queries, STB’s Greater China executive director Andrew Phua said the agency was aware of the embassy’s statement and respected its concerns.
Singapore is a vibrant destination for both leisure and business, and Chinese travellers visit the country for many reasons, he added.
“In addition to Singapore’s reputation as a family-friendly, bilingual and safe destination, our diverse range of tourism offerings, including our slew of wide-ranging attractions and a robust events calendar, makes Singapore an attractive destination choice to Chinese visitors,” said Phua.
At a news conference in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the country’s position on cross-border gambling was clear in that Chinese capital cannot be invested in overseas casinos.
He added that Chinese citizens are not allowed to run overseas casinos, while overseas casinos should also not invite Chinese citizens to gamble in their premises.
Singapore houses two casinos within the integrated resorts of Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. When contacted, both declined to comment.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority in December 2023 fined Resorts World Sentosa a total of S$2.25mil for failing to perform due diligence checks on deposits into patrons’ accounts. — The Straits Times/ANN