Sen. Rick Scott wants more out of travel advisory to China
WASHINGTON (SBG) – There are travel advisories for many countries Americans travel to and that includes China. Given the current trade war between China and the U.S., one lawmaker is asking the U.S. Department of State for better warnings when Americans travel there.
"I was in Beijing in October last year,” said Riley Walters, a policy analyst for Asia Economy and Technology in The Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center in Washington, D.C., “I was cautious, obviously I had my phone turned off the whole time.”
He said overall, he felt safe, but knew to be careful, knowing Chinese authorities practice surveillance and could monitor smart devices. He also knows China has different laws than the U.S. and if arrested there is the possibility of being detained for a long period of time.
Those warnings are listed in the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory, about two clicks from the home page. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., believes the warning should be easier to find and released this press release:
“China is a national security risk. They are stealing our technology and using it against us. Every American should be aware of the threat to their privacy when traveling in China. While the Department of State posts travel advisories, they are buried deep within the Department’s website. These advisories correctly note that Americans’ social media accounts are widely monitored, and hotel rooms, phones, cars, and computers could be monitored or accessed without our knowledge. However, the Department should do more to clearly highlight the significant privacy risks when Americans travel to China. American travelers deserve to know the risks of traveling to China well before considering any potential itinerary.”
Given the growing tension between the U.S. and China over trade, many can agree to exercise caution, but Walters notes it may not be so dire for the average American.
“The travel for a senator and the travel for just your average American in China is not the same,” said Walters. “If you’re an average American, you’re probably not going to be at risk when you travel to China, if you’re a congressman, a senator, if you’re a CEO, if you’re someone with a lot of power, you’ll probably be monitored.”
“The argument from the U.S. government’s perspective might be, well the Chinese are able to steal information off private citizens’ phones, that information could be used to blackmail them and maybe compel them to do certain activities on behalf of the Chinese government,” said Dan Ikenson is the director of the Cato Institute’s Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies.
But he warns that right now, rhetoric like that could add fuel to the fire in the U.S. relations with China.
“If we spend the next few years demonizing China and treating them like an enemy they will become an enemy, who knows where that will lead,” said Ikenson.
We reached out to the U.S. Department of State for their reaction to what Sen. Scott is asking.
They released this statement:
Our China country information page on Travel.state.gov contains extensive safety and security information for US citizens, including specific information about surveillance and monitoring. We note that “Hotel rooms (including meeting rooms), offices, cars, taxis, telephones, Internet usage, and fax machines may be monitored onsite or remotely, and personal possessions in hotel rooms, including computers, may be searched without your consent or knowledge.”
The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of the Department’s highest priorities, and we are committed to providing U.S. citizens with information so they can make informed decisions before they travel.
The Department of State routinely updates our Travel Advisories and country-specific information for all countries based on a comprehensive review of all available safety information and ongoing developments. -Press Team