Chinese tourists "are uncivilized and damage the image of the Motherland"
Beijing (AsiaNews) - Chinese tourists abroad or at home, "are uncivilized and their behavior is damaging the image of the country: talking loudly in public places, jay-walking, spitting and willfully carving characters on items in scenic zones. We must act to change this situation." So says Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang during a government meeting reported by the People's Daily, the official organ of the Communist Party.
The government is preparing to pass a new law on tourism, given that several bilateral agreements with European countries have made it easier for the entry of tourists from both sides. Wang, a former Secretary of Guangdong and known for his reformist positions, pointed out that the behavior of compatriots abroad must be changed to avoid damaging the turnover in the industry.
The "uncivilized
behavior" of Chinese tourists "is
often criticized by the media and
has damaged the image of the entire
Chinese people, creating significant
negative impacts. The government must take action to improve the situation. Authorities should guide the tourists to
behave in civil
manner, respecting the religious beliefs and customs of the places they visit and protecting the environment".
The flow of Chinese tourists abroad has skyrocketed in
the last decade. Thanks to the enormous economic growth of the country - and the crisis that hit the western nations, first of all the European ones - more
than 80 million Chinese citizens visited
at least one EU nation
in 2012: of these, more than one
million chose Italy.
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