Publicity head stresses Chinese tourists' behavior abroad

Communist Party of China (CPC) publicity head Liu Qibao on Wednesday ordered measures be taken to improve Chinese tourists' behavior in foreign countries.

The Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress held a televised conference on improving Chinese outbound tourists' manners.

At the conference, Liu Qibao, head of the CPC Central Committee's Publicity Department, ordered better public education and a tightening of public supervision to raise public awareness of polite tourist behavior and public ethics.

Liu also asked media to play supervisory roles and to create a social environment in which polite tourist behavior is advocated, in a bid to project a good image of China and to boost the country's soft power.

Yin Yungong, director of the journalism institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, suggested the government, schools, and social groups assume responsibility for educating the public.

A spate of incidents involving Chinese tourists behaving badly abroad has embarrassed the nation recently. In May, a Chinese teenager was reported to have left graffiti in an Egyptian temple.

And in September 2012, a Swiss International Airlines plane from Zurich to Beijing was forced to turn back after two Chinese passengers fought onboard.

Xinhua News Agency carried a commentary on Wednesday, listing vulgar behavior common among Chinese tourists, such as tossing garbage, taking off shoes on sidewalk benches, speaking in loud voices and not respecting local customs.