World News | US Adds Wrongful Detention Warning to China Travel Advisory, Citing Risks to Americans

Washington DC [US], October 20 (ANI): The US State Department on October 19 added a new risk designation to its travel advisory for mainland China, warning American citizens that they face a serious risk of wrongful detention, according to a report by The Epoch Times (TET).

“The Department of State has determined that Americans are at serious risk of wrongful detention in China,” a State Department spokesperson told TET in a statement.

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The newly added “D” designation comes as Beijing continues to detain two US citizens, U Min Zin and Chen Youlin, whom Washington has described as wrongfully detained, the report said. The development has renewed concerns over China’s alleged use of detention and judicial proceedings to exert political pressure on foreign nationals.

According to TET, Min Zin, co-founder of a think tank focused on Burma, also known as Myanmar, was arrested on June 3 in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, where he had been invited by Chinese authorities to attend an academic conference. China’s Foreign Ministry accused him of espionage and threatening national security.

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Chen Youlin, a US citizen and seismologist, has been held in China for nearly two years without trial. Beijing has accused him of espionage, a charge his family rejects. His relatives maintain that his academic research relied on publicly available data and did not require security clearance. Rights advocates have alleged that he was targeted because of his research on projects funded by the US government.

The report cited an estimate by the human rights organisation Dui Hua Foundation that at least 200 Americans have been subjected to various forms of detention, exit bans or other coercive measures in China.

A State Department spokesperson told TET that the Trump administration was committed to securing the release of Min Zin, Chen and all Americans wrongfully detained overseas, adding that the safety and security of American citizens remained a priority.

The advisory continues to maintain a Level 2 warning for mainland China and Hong Kong, urging Americans to exercise increased caution. For Macau, the department advises reconsidering travel because of its limited ability to provide emergency consular assistance.

According to TET, the advisory warns that Americans detained in China could face years in prison under poor conditions, without due process or consistent access to US government personnel and family members. It also cautions that Chinese authorities may impose exit bans to pressure relatives abroad or gain leverage over foreign governments, sometimes without a transparent legal process to challenge the restrictions.

The latest update follows an earlier revision to the State Department’s advisory that highlighted the risks of arbitrary arrest and detention, as well as the lack of a fair and transparent process surrounding exit bans.

Before Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s September visit to Washington, lawmakers from both chambers of the US Congress had urged the Trump administration to raise China’s travel advisory to Level 3, citing concerns over arbitrary detention for political purposes.

US President Donald Trump also confirmed on September 30 that he had discussed the release of Min Zin and other political prisoners with Xi. “Hopefully, fruitful discussions,” Trump told reporters, according to TET.

The report further noted that China has held US citizens Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt on drug-related charges since 2014. Wells’ father alleged that his son was arrested at an airport after authorities found drugs in a bag he believed contained baked goods. Hunt’s brother told lawmakers that she was lured to Hong Kong and China by a false cash-prize offer and subsequently given a handbag containing illicit drugs.

The State Department has urged Americans travelling to or residing in mainland China to read the full travel advisory and remain aware of the risks outlined in the warning, TET reported. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)