The Chinese government has updated its travel advisory for the United States reflecting the fact that relations between the two economic superpowers have become increasingly strained due to President Donald Trump’s imposition of trade tariffs on countries around the world.
The warning from the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism “reminds Chinese tourists to fully assess the risks of traveling to the United States and travel with caution.” It comes partly, the ministry says, “due to the deterioration of Sino-US economic and trade relations.”
That deterioration has been well publicised, since Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” announcement of at least 10% trade tariffs on all world nations, with China’s upped to 54%. A subsequent tit-for-tat escalation has seen China’s tariffs effectively rise to 145%, while the People’s Republic has responded with 125% at the time of writing.
It’s not clear how exactly China believes the tariffs could affect its citizens in the States, although attempts at business deals could clearly be impacted and some Americans may harbour heightened anti-China feelings in the wake of Trump rhetoric that has accused the Chinese of “ripping off the U.S.A”.
The bad economic and trade relations, however, are not the only reason behind the Chinese travel advisory, which also calls out “the domestic security situation in the United States.”
That appears to be a reference to the US’s tightening stance on immigration, with a number of border incidents targeting visitors who reportedly owned the right documents, and the seizure and detention of people of various origins by ICE agents, including on university campuses. The Chinese Education Ministry has cautioned students interested in studying in the US to be aware of safety issues and increasingly restricted freedom of expression in academic circles.
The Wall Street Journal has suggested that the change to the Chinese travel advice is part of a strategy to “put pressure on America’s tourism and education sectors.” US tourism operates at a multi-billion-deficit and it appears to be suffering already due to a number of factors, including recent aviation accidents, a Canadian boycott of US destinations in the wake of tariffs on the northern border, and a more general worldwide drop in appetite to visit the US, due to perceived political instability and aggression and aforementioned issues at the border.
As for the official guidance for US visitors to China, unlike the trade tariffs it has recently been downgraded, from a level 3 “reconsider travel” warning to a level 2 “exercise increased caution.”
