US warns of wrongful detentions in China — South China Morning Post

The US State Department has added an indicator of the risk of wrongful detention to its travel advisory for Americans planning trips to mainland China. The overall advisory level for China remains at Level 2: Americans are advised to exercise increased caution, the South China Morning Post reports.

Risk of arbitrary enforcement of laws

The updated advisory urges US citizens to be cautious due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the use of exit bans without fair and transparent legal procedures, and the risk of wrongful detention. The new indicator is marked with the letter D and concerns the risk of detention that US authorities consider wrongful.

A US State Department spokesperson told the outlet that the department seeks to provide American travelers with clear, timely, and reliable information about travel destinations. At the same time, the spokesperson did not explain the reason for adding the new indicator.

Cases of two American scholars

According to Semafor, as reported by the South China Morning Post, the change is linked to the detention in China of two American scholars, Chen Yulin and Min Xin. The US government has designated both as wrongfully detained.

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Chinese authorities accused Chen of espionage, likely related to his seismological research, and Xin of espionage and posing a threat to China's national security. Beijing had previously rejected claims of wrongful detention, saying that Chen's case was handled in accordance with the law, while Xin is under investigation and his legal rights are protected.

In 2024, the State Department removed the D indicator from its advisory for China after several detained Americans were released. According to the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, 12 US citizens are currently wrongfully detained in China, with some of them also subject to exit bans. Since 1998, the organization has assessed 42 such cases.

Advisory levels for the region

The US State Department also maintains a Level 2 advisory for Hong Kong. Macau is assigned a Level 3 advisory, under which Americans are advised to reconsider their travel plans.