A recent call from a top Party publicity official for measures to improve the behavior of Chinese tourists overseas has once again put the long-controversial image of our outbound fellow citizens under public scrutiny.

At a televised conference held by the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress on Wednesday, Liu Qibao, head of the Communist Party of China Central Committee's Publicity Department, stressed that better education and supervision are needed to strengthen public awareness of civilized manners. On the same day, the China International Travel Service also called for outbound tourists and tour guides to behave themselves overseas and show respect for local laws, regulations and customs.

Given a spate of recent incidents involving the bad behavior of mainland tourists overseas, such calls are by no means an overreaction.