As an American tourist (Caucasian), should I be concerned about the State Department's recent travel advisory regarding China's "exit ban"?
Chinese authorities have asserted broad authority to prohibit U.S. citizens from leaving China by using ‘exit bans,’ sometimes keeping U.S. citizens in China for years. China uses exit bans coercively:
- to compel U.S. citizens to participate in Chinese government investigations,
- to lure individuals back to China from abroad, and
- to aid Chinese authorities in resolving civil disputes in favor of Chinese parties.
In most cases, U.S. citizens only become aware of the exit ban when they attempt to depart China, and there is no method to find out how long the ban may continue. U.S. citizens under exit bans have been harassed and threatened.U.S. citizens may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime. U.S. citizens may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention for reasons related to “state security.”
I will be traveling to Shanghai and Beijing in October, and had already booked my r/t flights months before I became aware of the travel ban.
Have there been any reports of American tourists arbitrarily being detained in China due to this policy?
FYI:
- I have multiple stamps in my U.S. passport, including ones from the U.A.E. and Egypt.
Will this be an issue?
I ask is because I've read reports of individuals with middle East stamps in their passports having issues entering/leaving China.
- The travel advisory mentions that one of the reasons China may prevent U.S. citizens from leaving the country is to use them as pawns to resolve business disputes with American corporations (even if said individuals have nothing to do with the disputes).
I work for a major transit authority that does business with China. It's very conceivable that they may have certain disputes, and I don't want to get caught in the middle of it. Should I not mention that I work for this agency when I apply for my Chinese visa?
- Prior to entering mainland China, I will be visiting Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei.
My Chinese coworker advises me not to visit these places before entering China because it may arouse suspicion of drug trafficking. He says I should "just stay in China".
Is there any validity to this?
I apologize if I sound paranoid. I just want to ensure my trip to China goes smoothly. If not, I'll cancel it. After all, the trip is for pleasure, not business.