Video footages of an argument between Chinese tourists and custom officials at a Vietnam airport on Monday have surfaced online.

The group claim some of the members were asked to pay tips at Cam Ranh International Airport in Nha Trang before they could board their flight back to Chengdu, south-west China.

One of the tourists posted an account of the incident on Weibo, claiming that Vietnamese customs officers asked for a 10 yuan tip from each traveller, threatening to seize the passports of any who refused to pay up.

According to Chinese media, some tourists became furious and sung the Chinese national anthem. At least one tourist was allegedly assaulted during the incident.

The Chinese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh has confirmed in a statement it received reports from Chinese citizens who claimed they were involved in a physical dispute with airport officials.

Part of the statement, posted on the consulate’s official website, read: ‘Staff at our consulate have started an emergency negotiation with the Vietnamese authorities.

‘At the same time, [we] guide Chinese citizens to protect their rights sensibly while collecting relevant evidence.’

The statement said all Chinese citizens had returned to their country safely.

Meanwhile, the management of the international airport in Nha Trang has dismissed online reports accusing its staff of beating Chinese passengers.

The airport’s director, Phan Le Hoan, told Thanh Nien News that no act of violence from his staff occurred on May 2.

He said that a Vietnam Airlines flight to Shanghai was delayed and several passengers were angry after waiting for three hours.

He added that a Chinese passenger threw himself at a security officer and tried to grab a “work tool” from that officer.

“Several passengers kept throwing tantrums although security officers asked them to stop. They could only use signals due to language barrier.

“There was no beating of any passenger.”

Located on the coast of southern Vietnam, Cam Ranh International Airport operates domestic flights as well as flights to countries including China, South Korea and Russia.

Up to 789,500 Chinese tourists visited Vietnam in the first four months of this year, according to Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency.

– TiVi Tuan-san