U.S. Warns Its Citizens in China They Risk ‘Arbitrary’ Arrest
- State Department emails Americans registered as being in China
- Citizens may be detained for messages on government, U.S. says
A traveler walks through the airport in Beijing.
Photographer: GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The State Department warned U.S. citizens living in or traveling to China they may face arbitrary arrest, the latest sign of deteriorating relations between Washington and Beijing.
“Exercise increased caution in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws for purposes other than maintaining law and order,” State said in a travel advisory on its website that was also emailed to U.S. citizens registered as being in China. “This arbitrary enforcement may include detention and the use of exit bans.”