The U.S. state department urged Americans and citizens of other countries to reconsider travel to China due to the risk that Chinese authorities could arbitrarily detain foreigners, and even cut them off from consular help.
The PRC government arbitrarily enforces local laws, including issuing exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries without fair and transparent process under the law.
The Department has determined the risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by the PRC government exists in mainland China.
U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the PRC, including the Hong Kong SAR and the Macau SAR, may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime. U.S. citizens in the PRC may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law.))
Just this Monday, China’s foreign ministry confirmed that a Japanese citizen has been detained. Beijing accused the person of espionage. The person works for a Japanese pharmaceutical company. Tokyo is calling on Beijing to release the Japanese national, adding that Chinese authorities should allow the man access to Japanese consulate officials.