The US State Department has issued a warning for American citizens to avoid travel to China due to the risk of wrongful detention. The advisory comes amidst increasing tensions between the United States and China particularly in light of the ongoing trade war and the recent arrest of Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada at the request of the US.
According to the State Department there have been instances of US citizens being detained in China without access to consular services or a fair trial. The warning specifically mentions the arbitrary enforcement of local laws including exit bans and the use of "exit bans" to prevent US citizens from leaving the country.
The advisory states "US citizens may be detained without access to consular services or information about their alleged crime. US citizens may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law."
The State Department also advises US citizens to "exercise increased caution" in China due to the country's arbitrary detention practices. They recommend avoiding certain areas such as Tibet Xinjiang and certain parts of Inner Mongolia where the risk of detention is higher.
The warning also highlights the recent case of a Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg who was sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling. This case has further heightened concerns about the lack of transparency and fairness in China's legal system.
China has dismissed the advisory stating that it is not based on facts and is politically motivated. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said "We urge the US to respect the facts and stop its unreasonable crackdown on Chinese citizens and enterprises."
In response to the warning several travel agencies and airlines have started offering flexible cancellation policies for trips to China. Some companies have even suspended their operations in the country until the situation is resolved.
The advisory adds to the already existing tensions between the United States and China. The two countries have been engaged in a bitter trade war imposing tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of each other's goods. The arrest of Huawei's CFO in Canada has further strained diplomatic relations between the US China and Canada.
