'Ding Jihao was here': Chinese tourist, 15, defaces 3,500-year-old Egyptian temple and his family issue national apology

A Chinese schoolboy has been caught defacing an ancient Egyptian temple just a few days after China's govement attacked 'uncivilised' tourists for ruining the country's reputation abroad.

Chinese visitors to the Luxor Temple were outraged when they spotted the graffiti reading: 'Ding Jinhao was here' on 3,500-year-old hieroglyphics on the wall of the temple.

They posted a picture of the graffiti written in Chinese online along with comments expressing their disgust at the boy's actions.

The tourist, suamed Shen, said: 'It was the saddest moment during my stay in Egypt, and I felt ashamed.

'We try to wipe out the shame with tissue, but it was difficult to clear it out, and we could not use water as the relief is a historical relic 3,500 years old.

'All of the 14 members of our tour group kept silent after seeing the sentence as we felt ashamed.'

The post prompted an online search which revealed Ding's identity, his date of birth and his school in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province.

Public apology: The embarrassed parents of the schoolboy apologised to both the Chinese people and the Egyptian authorities for their son's actions

The parents of a 15-year-old Ding Jinhao have since issued a grovelling national apology to their fellow countrymen over their son's behaviour.

They told the Nanjing-based Mode Express newspaper: 'We apologize to Egyptian authorities and Chinese people who pay attention to the incident.

'He has realized he made a mistake, and we beg your pardon, please give him a chance to correct his act.'

Many social media users in China condemned Ding for damaging the ancient relic and his parents for not educating him properly.

One said: 'Ding's uncivilized behavior disgraced Chinese people.'

A Communist Party official has waed Chinese tourists to behave better when abroad to stop harming China's image (file photo)

It comes shortly after China introduced a new law in April which was against tourists committing uncivilized behavior but does not specify punishments.

Senior Communist Party official Wang Yang, one of the country's four vice-prime ministers, has also waed that holidaymakers should be more polite, singling out talking loudly and spitting as poor behaviour by his fellow citizens.

Writing in the official party newspaper People's Daily, Mr Wang said: 'Improving the civilised quality of the citizens and building a good image of Chinese tourists are the obligations of govements at all levels and relevant agencies and companies.'

He said Chinese authorities should 'guide tourists to conscientiously abide by public order and social ethics, respect local religious beliefs and customs, mind their speech and behaviour... and protect the environment'.

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