There are strict rules covering dealings with government officials. It's important to know who is considered a government official and what to be aware of when you are interacting with them.
Individuals in high-level government positions, such as government representatives or judges, are clearly public officials. So are those with official government functions, such as Customs inspectors or tax officials.
Government officials can also include:
personnel of a public or government agency or enterprise
employees of a state-owned business, such as a national airline
candidates for public office and political party officials