SEATTLE (AP) — Chinese government officials are advising travelers to approach entry into the United States via Seattle with caution amid reports of harassment by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. Recently, around 20 Chinese scholars holding valid visas who traveled to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for an academic conference were reportedly subjected to unreasonable inspections and denied entry, as outlined in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by China’s Consular Affairs.
The Chinese government's advisory highlights a disturbing trend of harassment targeting Chinese scholars at the airport, prompting the foreign ministry and the embassy to recommend that citizens planning to visit the U.S. reassess their travel routes and consider avoiding Seattle altogether for safety reasons. The ministry also emphasized the importance of understanding U.S. entry regulations and urged travelers to remain calm and rational when facing inquiries from U.S. enforcement personnel.
Seattle, known for its significant Chinese population—approximately 166,000 as of 2019, according to the Pew Research Center—has become a focal point for tensions raised by these incidents. As the discourse surrounding travel security continues to evolve, the Chinese government remains vigilant about ensuring the well-being of its citizens abroad.
The Chinese government's advisory highlights a disturbing trend of harassment targeting Chinese scholars at the airport, prompting the foreign ministry and the embassy to recommend that citizens planning to visit the U.S. reassess their travel routes and consider avoiding Seattle altogether for safety reasons. The ministry also emphasized the importance of understanding U.S. entry regulations and urged travelers to remain calm and rational when facing inquiries from U.S. enforcement personnel.
Seattle, known for its significant Chinese population—approximately 166,000 as of 2019, according to the Pew Research Center—has become a focal point for tensions raised by these incidents. As the discourse surrounding travel security continues to evolve, the Chinese government remains vigilant about ensuring the well-being of its citizens abroad.
