'Harassment and Unwarranted Interrogations’: China Issues Travel Advisory to Citizens Visiting US

China has issued a travel advisory for its citizens planning to visit the United States, urging them to take safety precautions amid “unwarranted interrogations and harassment” faced by Chinese students and employees.

Chinese Foreign Ministry took to their WeChat account on Friday to highlight instances where individuals had been subjected to thorough searches of their belongings, leading to some being banned from entering the country. Since November, Chinese media reports said that at least eight students with “valid documents” have faced similar treatment at Washington Dulles International Airport alone.

According to the South China Morning Post, in January, a biological sciences PhD candidate was deported from Dulles airport after enduring a body search, followed by prolonged interrogation and solitary confinement. Reports suggest that these incidents primarily target students with scholarships from the China Scholarship Council and involvement in confidential research.

Chinese officials have condemned these actions, attributing them to a “cold war mentality” and accusing the US of disrupting personnel exchanges between the two nations. Last month, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rebuked the US for politicising academic research and persecuting Chinese students, calling it “political and discriminatory law enforcement.”

Despite bilateral tension with the US, the Chinese government continues to reaffirm its commitment to educational exchanges, with Chinese President Xi Jinping announcing plans to invite 50,000 young Americans to study in China over the next five years. In a recent meeting with representatives from the US business community, academia, and policy circles, Xi stressed the significance of the China-US relationship and expressed optimism about increasing bilateral exchanges. This sentiment was echoed by Chinese Education Minister Huai Jinpeng, during his meeting with Blackstone Group chairman Stephen Schwarzman, where they discussed plans to enhance student exchanges and foster high-level cooperation between both countries.