The U.S. government stated on September 9th that the China Travel Risk Warning issued by the State Department is not a hypothetical scenario, as several American citizens have recently been unreasonably detained by the Chinese Communist Party.
Following the detention of two American citizens by Chinese authorities, the State Department updated its China travel advisory last week, explicitly warning that Americans residing or traveling to China face the risk of “unfair arrest or detention”.
The Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs emphasized on September 9th on social media that the risks listed in the China Travel Advisory are not hypothetical and reiterated the call for Beijing to release the two detained Americans.
The House Select Committee on China stated on social media platform X on Thursday (September 10) that the actions of the Chinese Communist Party have shown they can arbitrarily detain Americans in China and implement exit bans, urging Americans to take these warnings seriously.
The office of the special presidential envoy noted that two American scholars, Chen Youlin and U Min Zin, who traveled to China for academic and professional reasons, have been wrongfully detained by Beijing authorities.
The office stated, “Hostage diplomacy has no place in U.S.-China relations.”
U Min Zin, a co-founder of an American think tank focusing on Burma affairs, was arrested on June 3 while attending an academic conference in Yunnan Province. The CCP has charged him with espionage.
Chen Youlin, a seismologist born in China, has been detained for nearly two years without trial and similarly charged with espionage. Human rights advocates point out that Beijing targeted him because of his involvement in a research project funded by the U.S. government.
The updated travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department last week warned of the specific risk of “unfair arrest or detention” in China and noted the lack of lawful and transparent procedures when implementing exit bans.
The advisory emphasized that when sending or receiving emails, texts, or social media posts to and from China, individuals should assume that China’s security apparatus can access that content; even when in other countries or using Chinese applications, messages may still be monitored.
The advisory also specifically cautioned individuals in the U.S. academic community about the CCP’s control over all universities and schools in China. Foreign teachers or students expressing views conflicting with the CCP’s beliefs may face deportation or detention.
Furthermore, foreigners’ religious activities in China are strictly controlled, with participation in collective religious activities, transporting religious items, or engaging in missionary work carrying potential risks.
The State Department warning pointed out that the CCP’s laws have a broad definition of “national security,” granting authorities significant discretion in defining “state secrets.” Foreign citizens engaged in daily research or handling openly available information may also face risks.
The updated advisory also noted the lack of “lawful, fair, and transparent procedures” in Beijing’s implementation of exit bans. U.S. citizens in China could be detained without knowledge of charges and without access to U.S. consular assistance.
Specific groups that may be targeted include individuals of Chinese descent, those with business disputes with local companies, individuals with ties to U.S. law enforcement, military, intelligence agencies, or other government entities, and individuals involved in U.S. government-funded projects.
In addition to the aforementioned two American citizens being unreasonably detained, several other American citizens and permanent residents have recently been subject to unjust arrests, detention, and sentencing by the CCP.
Renowned artist and U.S. permanent resident Gao Zhen was sentenced to three years in prison in August. His wife (a U.S. permanent resident) and son (a U.S. citizen) have been prohibited from leaving since mid-2024.
Currently, the State Department’s travel advisory for mainland China and Hong Kong maintains a “Level 2,” urging increased caution; for Macau, it advises “reconsidering travel.”
The warning also specifically mentioned Americans in Tibet due to Beijing’s strict restrictions on U.S. consular officials’ access to the region, indicating that they may only receive limited consular services there.