US Warns Americans of Serious Risk of Wrongful Detention in China
The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for mainland China, adding a “D” designation to warn American citizens about the risk of being detained without credible evidence or due legal process.
The warning, issued on October 19, comes as Beijing continues to hold two U.S. citizens whom Washington considers to have been wrongfully detained.
“The Department of State has determined that Americans are at serious risk of wrongful detention in China,” a department spokesperson said.
The newly added “D” label highlights concerns about the Chinese authorities’ use of detention and legal measures against foreign nationals.
Among those detained are U Min Zin, a co-founder of a think tank focused on Burma, also known as Myanmar, and Chen Youlin, an American seismologist.
Min Zin was arrested on June 3 in Yunnan province in southwestern China, where he had been invited by Chinese authorities to attend an academic conference. China's Foreign Ministry accused him of espionage and alleged that his activities threatened national security.
Chen, meanwhile, has been held in China for nearly two years without trial. Chinese authorities have accused him of espionage, but his family rejects the allegation, arguing that his academic research relied on publicly available information and did not require security clearance. Human rights advocates believe his detention may be linked to research involving projects funded by the U.S. government.
The cases have intensified concerns over what critics describe as Beijing’s use of “hostage diplomacy”—the alleged practice of detaining foreign nationals to gain political leverage in dealings with other governments.
According to an estimate by the human rights organization Dui Hua Foundation, at least 200 Americans have faced detention, exit bans or other coercive measures in China.
The State Department said the Trump administration remains committed to securing the release of Min Zin, Chen and other Americans it considers wrongfully detained overseas.
“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” the spokesperson said, urging U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in mainland China to review the full travel advisory.
The latest update follows an earlier revision to the advisory that warned Americans about the possibility of arbitrary arrest and detention. It also raised concerns about China's use of exit bans, which can prevent individuals from leaving the country without a fair and transparent legal process.
The travel advisory continues to place mainland China and Hong Kong under Level 2, advising Americans to exercise increased caution. For Macau, the State Department advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel because of limitations on emergency consular assistance.
The advisory warns that Americans who are wrongfully detained could spend years in prison under poor conditions, potentially without due process or consistent access to U.S. government officials and family members.
It also cautions that Chinese authorities may impose exit bans to pressure relatives living abroad or gain leverage over foreign governments. In some cases, travelers may discover that they are prohibited from leaving only when they attempt to depart. The advisory notes that there may be no effective legal process through which they can challenge such restrictions.
Before Chinese leader Xi Jinping's planned visit to Washington in September, lawmakers from both major U.S. political parties urged the Trump administration to raise China's travel advisory to Level 3. They cited concerns that Beijing was using arbitrary detention for political purposes.
U.S. President Donald Trump also confirmed that he discussed the release of Min Zin and other political prisoners with Xi during their meeting last month.
“We talked,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on September 30. He described the discussions as important and expressed hope that they would produce positive results.
Beyond Min Zin and Chen, two other Americans, Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt, have been imprisoned in China on drug-related charges dating back to 2014.
Wells was arrested at an airport after Chinese authorities allegedly discovered drugs in a bag that he believed contained baked goods, according to his father.
Hunt's brother, Tim Hunt, previously told lawmakers that she had been lured to Hong Kong and China after being led to believe she had won a cash prize. She was subsequently given a handbag that allegedly contained illegal drugs.
The cases have added to growing concerns in Washington about the risks facing American citizens in China, particularly those who may become entangled in legal disputes or cases with potential political implications.