China warns citizens they face harassment in US
China has warned its citizens that they face various forms of harassment by law enforcement agencies in the United States.
Speaking at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that US law enforcement agencies had “repeatedly” used methods such as immigration and on-site interviews to “harass” Chinese nationals in the US.
The spokesman also called on Chinese-funded institutions in the US to be cautious and “increase awareness and strengthen preventive measures.”
“At the same time, I want to emphasize China holds an open attitude toward normal people-to-people exchanges and contacts between our two countries, but such exchanges and contact must be based on mutual respect,” he said. “This is a response to the circumstances; China would not have done this if it was unnecessary.”
Also on Tuesday, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a travel alert for the US, noting the high frequency of shootings, robberies, and theft in the country.
“Recently, shootings, robberies, and thefts have occurred frequently in the United States,” the ministry said, urging Chinese tourists to “fully assess the risk” and “improve their awareness of safety and security.”
In a statement on Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Education called on students and scholars to conduct proper risk assessments before studying in the US.
Some 360,000 Chinese nationals study in the US, generating about $14 billion of economic activity annually, most of it in tuition and other fees.
According to the US National Travel and Tourism Office, three million Chinese visited the United States last year, down from 3.2 million in 2017. They represent the fifth biggest group of foreign visitors, spending $36.4 billion last year.
The warnings came weeks after a group of Republicans in US Congress introduced legislation intended to prohibit anyone employed or sponsored by the Chinese military from receiving student or research visas to the US.
The development also comes as the US administration of President Donald Trump has been locked in a trade war with China.
Any major drop in Chinese tourism to America could cost billions to the US economy.
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