(File photo)

The tax bill issued by the German customs posted by the Chinese passenger. (Photo from Weibo)

"I will never transfer flights in Germany again. For an iPhone, which I bought in China and had already used for over a year, I paid 278 Euros in tax!" This was the rant an angry Chinese passenger posted on Weibo on April 26. The post was soon shared over 10,000 times, and many people said they had had similar experiences.

An official at the Chinese consulate in Frankfurt told a reporter from Global Times that this regulation has existed for a long time in E.U. member countries; it is standard to tax the belongings of people entering the country. The regulation doesn't target tourists, but foreigners with long-term residence in E.U. countries. And in fact, the reporter later found out that the outraged passenger was not a tourist, but an overseas student in Spain. 

According to the regulation, when foreigners with long-term residence in E.U. countries enter Germany, the total value of the traveler's personal belongings should not be greater than 430 Euros, excepting a certain amount of cigarettes, wine and medicine. If the total value is higher than 430 Euros, the passenger must declare the extra belongings and pay a corresponding tax. German Customs assured the Chinese consulate in Frankfurt that the regulation doesn't target any specific country. 

A German lawyer told the Global Times reporter that the customs department at the Frankfurt airport is especially strict; they perform more random examinations and have particularly harsh punishments. That is why so many people have experienced the same frustrating predicament. 

According to local media in Frankfurt, the Frankfurt airport receive an average of 60 million passengers per year, and the total value of confiscated articles in Frankfurt customs amounted to 4.95 billion Euros last year.