China issues travel warning for US over poor public security

China has issued a new travel warning for Chinese nationals traveling to the United States, citing concerns about rising public insecurity in America.

China’s Embassy in Washington warned Chinese tourists to be vigilant over such matters as expensive medical bills, the threats of public shootings and robberies, searches and seizures by customs agents, telecommunications fraud, and natural disasters.

“Public security in the United States is not good. Cases of shootings, robberies, and theft are frequent,” the embassy said in the security advisory published on its website on Thursday. “Travelers in the United States should be alert to their surroundings and suspicious individuals, and avoid going out alone at night.”

Except for the warning about the risk of natural disasters, the alert was similar to one posted in January on the embassy’s website.

The warning comes amid escalating trade tensions between the two countries.

On June 18, US President Donald Trump threatened to escalate a trade war he has initiated with China, promising to impose further massive duties on Chinese goods.

China has retaliated previous rounds of levies in kind, and has threatened to continue to reciprocate.

Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry ruled out that the timing of the travel warning had been politically motivated, saying that the summer was the high season for the Chinese traveling to the US, and that Chinese embassies had an obligation to warn citizens about potential risks abroad.