Beijing: China issued an unusual warning to its citizens traveling to the US to beware of “entrapment” by US law enforcement, the latest example of continuing bilateral tensions despite a recent uptick in ties.
In a security advisory posted on Monday on the official WeChat account run by its department, the foreign ministry in Beijing said: “Chinese citizens traveling to the US should be more cautious, and beware of falling into US traps and arrests.” ” Consular Affairs.
While Beijing regularly reminds its citizens of gun and racial violence in the US, it is rare to explicitly point out the danger of arbitrary detention. China has often been accused of detaining its own people. He has also been accused of running an extra-state police operation to go after Chinese individuals – which the government denies.
Monday’s warning comes after the Treasury Secretary’s high-profile visit to Beijing Janet Yellen, the second Biden administration cabinet member to visit in recent weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Yellen declared that relations between the world’s two largest economies are close to a “certain level”.
One area where the US has called for further Chinese efforts is curbing the trade of illegal synthetic drugs to help combat the fentanyl crisis. China’s statement on Monday pointed to disagreements in this regard.
The statement cited arbitrary US arrests and cross-border abductions of Chinese citizens, citing the crackdown as being based on fentanyl issues.
Last month, the Justice Department announced the arrest of two individuals and the opening of three indictments accusing China-based companies and their employees of fentanyl-related crimes.
‘Malignant stigma’
The Chinese Foreign Ministry statement also criticized the US for “maliciously maligning China’s pursuit of fugitives”.
In April, the DOJ charged 44 individuals living in China and elsewhere in Asia with harboring Chinese dissidents in the US.
China has urged its citizens in the US to pay close attention to local security situations, citing frequent incidents of gun violence and discrimination against Asians.
In a security advisory posted on Monday on the official WeChat account run by its department, the foreign ministry in Beijing said: “Chinese citizens traveling to the US should be more cautious, and beware of falling into US traps and arrests.” ” Consular Affairs.
While Beijing regularly reminds its citizens of gun and racial violence in the US, it is rare to explicitly point out the danger of arbitrary detention. China has often been accused of detaining its own people. He has also been accused of running an extra-state police operation to go after Chinese individuals – which the government denies.
Monday’s warning comes after the Treasury Secretary’s high-profile visit to Beijing Janet Yellen, the second Biden administration cabinet member to visit in recent weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Yellen declared that relations between the world’s two largest economies are close to a “certain level”.
One area where the US has called for further Chinese efforts is curbing the trade of illegal synthetic drugs to help combat the fentanyl crisis. China’s statement on Monday pointed to disagreements in this regard.
The statement cited arbitrary US arrests and cross-border abductions of Chinese citizens, citing the crackdown as being based on fentanyl issues.
Last month, the Justice Department announced the arrest of two individuals and the opening of three indictments accusing China-based companies and their employees of fentanyl-related crimes.
‘Malignant stigma’
The Chinese Foreign Ministry statement also criticized the US for “maliciously maligning China’s pursuit of fugitives”.
In April, the DOJ charged 44 individuals living in China and elsewhere in Asia with harboring Chinese dissidents in the US.
China has urged its citizens in the US to pay close attention to local security situations, citing frequent incidents of gun violence and discrimination against Asians.