With a reputed 6.5 million Chinese tourists overseas to celebrate the Lunar New Year, safety is top of mind for officials.
The foreign ministry revealed nearly 700 Chinese citizens were killed while holidaying abroad last year.
The biggest cause was drowning, the ministry said.
"Compatriots heading abroad, especially those going to Southeast Asian countries, must pay special attention if they’re in the water. Tourists must make sure they have the skills to take on water sports like snorkelling and they need to be well equipped to avoid accidents," said Yang Shu, deputy director of the ministry’s emergency call centre for consular protection and services.
The comments were made after announcing seven tourists from China drowned in Thailand in January alone.
Authorities recently launched a water safety awareness campaign in the Maldives aimed at Chinese travellers after a spate of drownings there too.
Yang said road traffic accidents were the second major cause of fatalities overseas and urged all travellers to exercise caution when renting vehicles and to follow all local driving rules.
The government had 70,000 requests for overseas assistance last year as 131 million Chinese citizens travelled abroad.
During the current festive period, the top draws for Chinese tourists are Thailand, Japan and Singapore.
