Comment on "Big rise in Chinese overseas" (China Daily, Jan 23)

I hope that the scribe's views do not reflect those of the Chinese authorities. I first visited China in 1967, after which I have flown in and out of the country many times.

And since I have visited many places in China, I can say that the standard of toilet facilities and sanitation is atrocious in some installations in China, and the authorities have obviously not tried to educate the public about how to use these facilities. Such backward facilities reflect poorly on an otherwise beautiful country and can only have a negative effect on China's income from tourism.

Terry Harmer, via e-mail