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China warns against travelling to US after scholars accosted

China's foreign ministry has issued a warning to citizens travelling to the US, warning of "malicious questioning" at the border.

In particular, travellers were urged to avoid entering through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

About 20 Chinese scholars with visas flew through the airport recently to attend an academic conference, but China Consular Affairs said in a post on X that the academics were "unreasonably inspected" by Customs and Border Protection personnel and refused entry.

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Since Chinese scholars have been continuously harassed at the airport, the foreign ministry and the embassy urged citizens with plans to visit the US to do so with a mindset of safety and security and to avoid the Seattle airport, the post said.

The foreign ministry also urged travelers from China to become versed with US entry regulations and be prepared.

"If you encounter questioning from US enforcement personnel, you should deal with it calmly and rationally," according to a translation of the tweet.

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The Australian government's Smartraveller advice does not warn against travelling to the US, asking Australians to exercise "normal safety precautions".

"Entry requirements are strict. US authorities have broad powers to decide if you're eligible to enter and may determine that you are inadmissible for any reason under US law," the Smartraveller advice reads.

"Check US entry, registration, transit and exit requirements. Whether you're travelling on a visa or under the Visa Waiver Program, ensure you understand all relevant terms and conditions before attempting to enter the United States."

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Australians travelling to China are advised to "exercise a high degree of caution".

"As previously advised, authorities have detained foreigners on the grounds of 'endangering national security'," the entry reads.

"Australians may be at risk of arbitrary detention, exit bans or harsh enforcement of local laws, including broadly defined National Security Laws."

With Associated Press.

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