(ECNS) -- China's embassy in Germany said it's still verifying the actual situation after local media reported a Chinese tourist was stranded in a home for refugees.
The tourist from northern China arrived in Stuttgart three weeks ago and planned to travel through Germany before going on to France and Italy on his own.
After losing his wallet, the 31-year-old backpacker wanted to report it to police but ended up in a reception center in Heidelberg, where he filled out an asylum request form due to a misunderstanding in language.
The tourist was then transferred to a reception center in the western city of Dortmund, where his passport was taken from him, and then moved to another shelter in Duelmen near the Dutch border, according to media reports. The tourist reportedly spoke neither German nor English.
The Chinese embassy said it has not yet received an inquiry or report from German authorities and is still investigating the case.
Zhou Anping with the embassy has urged Chinese tourists to be careful with personal safety during their travels. He suggested tourists always carry important information on their person including the phone number of the embassy and safety tips.
