State Department warns travelers to China they risk “wrongful detention”

The State Department has updated its travel advisory for mainland China to warn of a heightened risk of "wrongful detention" for U.S. citizens, according to a report by Semafor. This new advisory comes in response to the detentions of two American citizens, Min Zin and Youlin Chen, earlier this year. Zin, a Myanmar scholar, was detained in June and accused of endangering China's national security, while Chen, a seismologist, was detained in 2024 and charged with espionage.

Despite the recent detentions, the overall risk level of the advisory remains at Level 2, warning Americans to "Exercise Increased Caution" when traveling to China.

The department's decision to add a "D" risk indicator for wrongful detention reflects the serious risk these U.S. citizens face in China's legal system. The "D" indicator indicates that the State Department believes Americans are at risk of wrongful detention by the Chinese government. A State Department spokesman stated that the risk assessment is based on various factors, including U.S. citizenship or connection to the U.S. This is the latest update to the State Department's China travel advisory, which has been revised multiple times in the past few months, including in early September when it added stronger warnings about wrongful detention, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, and exit bans.

The department's actions have drawn bipartisan support, with senators introducing a resolution last month urging the addition of the wrongful detention indicator to the travel advisory.