Beware Everest graffiti artists, China is watching you

BEIJING (AP) - Next time you leave silly messages on the world's highest mountain, beware, China is watching you.

Mountaineering officials have scrubbed graffiti from two granite tablets on the Chinese side of Mount Everest's northern base camp and plan to name and shame future defilers.

State-run mobile news site The Paper reported Wednesday that workers removed the signatures, dates, doodles and messages left by scores of visitors. They include "Let's wander together," ''Farewell to the mountain" and "Here I come."

The graffiti grew so thick it covered information in Chinese, Tibetan and English.

The base camp at roughly 5,200 meters (17,060 feet) is a popular tourist site that has fallen prey to the sort of behavior the Chinese government is vowing to punish.