US recommends Americans reconsider traveling to China due to arbitrary law enforcement, exit bans

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: ABC News/AP

BEIJING -- The U.S. recommended Americans reconsider traveling to China because of arbitrary law enforcement and exit bans and the risk of wrongful detentions. No specific cases were cited, but the advisory came after a 78-year-old U.S. citizen was sentenced to life in prison on spying charges in May.

It also followed the passage last week of a sweeping Foreign Relations Law that threatens countermeasures against those seen as harming China’s interests. China also recently passed a broadly written counterespionage law that has sent a chill through the foreign business community, with offices being raided, as well as a law to sanction foreign critics.

“The People’s Republic of China (PRC) government arbitrarily enforces local laws, including issuing exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law,” the U.S. advisory said. “U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the PRC may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime,” it warned.

The advisory also said that Chinese authorities "appear to have broad discretion to deem a wide range of documents, data, statistics, or materials as state secrets and to detain and prosecute foreign nationals for alleged espionage.”

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-recommends-americans-reconsider-traveling-china-due-arbitrary-100603908

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Link to State Department Advisory - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/china-travel-advisory.html

[IronLionZion]

1. I went there 14 years ago, it was sketchy back then

troops everywhere. Police doing roadblock checks, especially for foreigners. Plenty of places they don't want foreigners to see.

It's way worse now. Xi has decided to go full Mao. Plenty of aid groups have pulled out their foreign workers and rely only on local workers.

[bluedigger]

2. I have a friend working there now as an educator.

His contract is up and he wants to go back for another year. He loves it there. I hope he stays safe.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

3. Many foreigners find life there worthwhile, won't be mentioned in any American press release.

Advisory cites nothing specific…isn’t an advisory supposed to do that, be specific?

And…what about the dictatorship of Saudi? Any advisories on the most brutal regime in the world that sits on massive reserves of cheap sweet crude being oil washed throughout the grateful West?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. "And...what about the dictatorship of Saudi? Any advisories on the most brutal regime "

Did you even take the time to go to the State Department's website and even check?

The Travel Advisories site is here - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/

And lookie here, a bunch for Saudi Arabia!

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SaudiArabia.html

Travel.State.Gov > International Travel > Learn About Your Destination > Saudi Arabia International Travel Information

Saudi Arabia
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Travel Advisory
October 5, 2022

Saudi Arabia - Level 3: Reconsider Travel O T

Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information.

Reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia due to the threat of missile and drone attacks on civilian facilities. Exercise increased caution in Saudi Arabia due to terrorism. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Do not travel to the following locations due to missile and drone attacks and terrorism:

Within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border, as well as the cities of Abha, Jizan, Najran, and Khamis Mushayt;

Abha airport;

Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah.

Country Summary: U.S. government personnel must adhere to the above travel restrictions. As such, the U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in these locations.

Missile and drone attacks perpetrated by Iran and Iran-supported militant groups represent a significant threat. The Islamic Republic of Iran has supplied Yemen-based Houthis and other regional proxy groups with weapons to conduct destructive and sometimes lethal attacks using drones, missiles, and rockets against a variety of Saudi sites, including critical infrastructure, civilian airports, military bases, and energy facilities throughout the country, as well as vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes. Recent attacks were aimed at targets throughout Saudi Arabia including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Jizan, Khamis Mushayt, the civilian airport in Abha, Al Kharj, military installations in the south, as well as oil and gas facilities.

Debris from intercepted drones and missiles represents a significant risk to civilian areas and populations. Militant groups continue to plan and conduct attacks against locations in Saudi Arabia. U.S. citizens living and working near military bases and critical civilian infrastructure, particularly near the border with Yemen, are at heightened risk of missile, drone, and rocket attacks.

Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks against Saudi and Western targets throughout Saudi Arabia. Terrorists attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, large gatherings, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Terrorists are also known to time attacks around major holidays and/or in response to military operations. Terrorists have targeted both Saudi and Western government interests, mosques and other religious sites (both Sunni and Shia), and places frequented by U.S. citizens and other Westerners. ISIS claimed responsibility for a November 2020 IED attack at a cemetery in Jeddah during a ceremony commemorating the end of World War I. Several Western diplomats were in attendance.

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman region, including Saudi Arabia, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an advisory Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM). For more information U.S. citizens should consult the Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices.

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Saudi Arabia.

If you decide to travel to Saudi Arabia:

Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before planning any international travel and see the Embassy COVID-19 page for country-specific COVID-19 information.

Visit our website for information on travel to high-risk areas.

Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners.

Obtain comprehensive medical insurance that includes medical evacuation.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.

Follow the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia on Facebook and Twitter.

Review the Country Security Report for Saudi Arabia.

Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.

Yemen Border, Abha airport, and Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Militant groups in Yemen have attacked Saudi border towns and other sites in Saudi Arabia with armed drones, missiles, and rockets. Civilians that are near the border with Yemen are especially at risk. Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Saudi Arabia, including in Qatif.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border as U.S. government personnel and their families are restricted from travel to this area.

Visit our website for information on travel to high-risk areas.

Embassy Messages

Alerts

Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Riyadh Thu, 29 Jun 2023
Publication of Final Rule on Nonimmigrant Visa Fee Increases Tue, 18 Apr 2023
Information for U.S. citizens attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar Mon, 28 Nov 2022
Security Alert: Security Practices for U.S. Citizens Visiting or Residing in Saudi Arabia Mon, 28 Nov 2022

[EX500rider]

10. "the most brutal regime"

That would be N Korea, Iran Russia or China.

China:
Severe Covid-19 restrictions in some cases undermined the right to health and adequate food. The government continued to stifle criticism of its policies and actions and discussion of topics considered sensitive through increasingly pervasive online censorship. Government critics, human rights defenders, pro-democracy activists and religious leaders and practitioners were among those subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention. Systematic repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet continued. Authorities attempted to prevent the publication of an OHCHR report documenting potential crimes against humanity and other international crimes in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang). Women continued to endure sexual violence and harassment and other violations of their rights. The Hong Kong government continued its crackdown against the pro-democracy movement.


https://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/china/

[BumRushDaShow]

11. There are advisories for those places too!

I would add Syria to your list.

The advisories are here - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/

These are the current "Do not travel"s (including "Other", with a Do not travel to certain areas in those countries) -

Advisory Level Date Updated

Mali Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel January 18, 2023
Iran Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel January 26, 2023
Russia Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel February 13, 2023
Burma (Myanmar) Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel February 27, 2023
Belarus Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel April 12, 2023
Sudan Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel April 22, 2023
Haiti Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel May 17, 2023
Ukraine Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel May 22, 2023
Afghanistan Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel June 23, 2023
Mexico Travel Advisory Other October 5, 2022
Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Travel Advisory Other March 6, 2023
China Travel Advisory Other June 30, 2023

[MarineCombatEngineer]

7. And here you are again defending China.

[durablend]

4. Could say the same about this country

"arbitrary law enforcement ... and the risk of wrongful detentions"

Seems like the pot calling the kettle black (no pun intended)

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Other countries actually do have advisories for travel here

For example, the UK advisory for travelers to the U.S. - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/safety-and-security

Here's a list of 7 countries that have advisories against us - https://www.miamiherald.com/detour/article274840151.html

[WA-03 Democrat]

5. Just returned from 3 weeks in Asia

2 weeks of which were in Shanghai and Guangdong. It was my first trip since Dec of 2019. It has changed like everywhere during and still with Covid. The traffic in Shanghai is tolerable. I was the only other white guy I saw. Co-workers wanted me to go to dinner so their kids could meet a foreigner. I was a novelty. The other thing is the electric cars in China are awesome. Makes TSLA look like a joke. The economy is tepid at best and most business demand is significantly down.

I have to go back in 2 weeks. The risk with a government that can do whatever it wants whenever it wants has always been there. I have been to China over 100 times and feel safer there than almost anywhere. DU is blocked as well as almost everything else.

Thailand was awesome. Cannabis is legal and all that jazzy. No EV but trucks and trucks and trucks.

Hong Kong was sad for me. I have so many great memories there and everything is small fraction of what it was before. The Hong Kong Airport feels like it’s running at 20% capacity.

[BlueWavePsych]

14. Hong Kong wants more tourists, but mostly 'good quality' ones, please

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/10/asia-pacific/hong-kong-china-tourism/

Local residents also say the tourists — who tend to travel in groups of two dozen or more — are too noisy, are snarling traffic and are blighting public spaces by squatting and dining on boxed lunches outdoors.

There goes the neighbohood

[Wonder Why]

15. Remember that if you are detained and your relatives cry to the

U.S. government to exchange you for a criminal, spy or dissident.

[Xanchez]

9. It's a dictatorship there

Sadly.

[Xolodno]

12. Whenever we travel abroad....

...I get friends and relatives who say "I heard it was dangerous over there", everywhere from Mexico to France. My response, "I'm more likely to get shot walking by a school here in the USA". Usually silences them. Japan is very safe, but if you fart in the wrong direction you will get to experience their amazing justice prosecution success rate.

Problem is, the State Department practically does the "boogey man" on just about every country. And if they had it their way, you never visit another country and spend all your vacation/tourist income right here.

Just be smart, know what you are doing and don't go to seedy areas. Knowing a language they don't know is also helpful, in western Europe, when a scammer would come by, I just started speaking in Russian. That got them to back off in a jiffy. Going to Egypt soon, friend of mine told me it won't work there as Russians vacation there quite heavily (he tried it), so Espanol it is. Not sure about a country, go with a tour group.

[Martin68]

13. People engaging in false equivalency blame the US for the reluctance of American firms to do

business in China, but the truth is, China has created an unpredictable and potentially dangerous situation for foreign businesses.