Embassy gives safety tips to Chinese in US

Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng said that nearly 300 Chinese citizens in the United States have been subjected to unwarranted harassment and deportation over the past three years and that "McCarthyism" has interfered with normal US-China exchanges.

The ambassador spoke on Saturday at the "Safe Journey in the US" consular-protection event. The embassy released a brochure and animated video with that theme.

"In response to the US' selective, discriminatory and political enforcement of the law, we have emphasized with the US side, argued with reason, and lodged solemn representations with the US Department of State, the National Security Council in the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and other departments." Xie said.

The embassy has "made representations on every occasion, urging the US side to remove the 'stumbling blocks' that impede humanistic exchanges as soon as possible", said Xie.

Several hundred representatives of Chinese students, overseas Chinese and Chinese organizations in the US participated in the event.

The embassy's materials are geared toward helping Chinese people visiting or living in the US to pay attention to details and to stay alert so they can travel safely.

Xie said that the world has entered a period of turbulence and change, with wars, terrorist attacks and frequent gun violence, and that instability, uncertainty and unpredictability have become the norm.

He also said that China's relationship with the world has entered a period of deep integration, with the number of people entering and exiting the country increasing from more than 5.6 million before reform and opening-up to more than 420 million nowadays. Chinese tourists and international students also are traveling more around the globe.

"The demand for consular protection has also entered a period of rapid growth. Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies and consulates abroad handled more than 80,000 consular protection cases, with an average of one case every six minutes, and the 12308 hotline received more than 500,000 calls for help, with an average of one call every minute."

Xie said that US-China relations are still facing serious challenges: racial discrimination against Asians has not yet been eradicated, "hysterical McCarthyism" and the resurgence of a "politically correct chilling effect continues to spread", interfering with the normal people-to-people exchanges between China and the US, and "poisoning the public opinion environment" of the relationship between the two countries.

"Being in a foreign country, we must always tighten the string of security and constantly improve security awareness and preventive capabilities," he said.

Xie noted that the US has put more than 1,500 Chinese companies on a sanctions, or entities list.

"The embassy has continued to urge the US side to stop its economic, trade, scientific and technological suppression of China. And we demand that President Biden's statement that he does not seek to suppress and curb China's development be put into practice."

The ambassador said that the embassy has always maintained the "true colors of people's diplomacy" and protected the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the US with "care, effort and affection, conveying the warmth of the motherland to every compatriot in the US".

"We often ring the 'alarm bell' to effectively enhance risk-prevention awareness; we play the role of a 'nagging mom' to continuously strengthen preventive consular protection publicity; and we build a 'safety dam' to safeguard legitimate rights and interests resolutely."

Several Chinese students in the US said that the information provided by the embassy is a good guide for them to keep safe while living in the US, especially in an election year.

"The safety information, including the exchange of foreign currency, psychological issues and more was customized for us and made me feel very at ease. And today's event is making me feel at home," said Qiang Lingyi, a law student at Georgetown University.

Zhong Jiayu, a lawyer and head of the legal department of Chinese Alumni Associations of Greater Washington told China Daily that the differences in language, culture and legal systems between China and the US might expose Chinese people in the US to security incidents or threats.