The US State Department issued an updated travel recommendation, advising Americans to think twice before traveling to China due to the possibility of being wrongfully detained.
Although the prior alert also classified mainland China as a ‘Level 3: Reconsider Travel destination’, this was due to the danger of arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
The danger of unlawful detention was highlighted as a reason for US passengers to exercise increased caution in that March advice.
Because the Chinese government continues to engage in this practice of wrongful imprisonment, a State Department spokeswoman noted, “The Travel Advisory has been updated to advise US citizens to reconsider travel to Mainland China due to the risk of wrongful detention”.
In late March, the State Department stated, “The Department of State has determined that the risk of wrongful detention of US nationals by the PRC government exists in the PRC”.
The revised alert comes when tensions between the United States and China are high.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing last month in an attempt to prevent relations from deteriorating further at a time of persistent hostility.
After the visit, Blinken stated that the US and China had made progress in resuming relations, with both sides agreeing on the need to stabilize the bilateral relationship between the two superpowers.
The top US ambassador stated that he raised the instances of three Americans believed to be unlawfully jailed in China: Kai Li, Mark Swidan, and David Lin, and that discussions to gain their release are ongoing.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will visit China’s capital this week as part of ongoing attempts to normalize relations between the two countries.
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