United States adjusts advisory for Hong Kong to second lowest level, urges Americans to ‘exercise increased caution’ rather than ‘reconsider travel’
- Hong Kong’s risk level is now classified as lower than that of Macau and mainland China
- City had been listed at level four, the highest, in March 2022 but that was lowered one notch in October
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The updates were issued on Friday, the third anniversary of Beijing’s imposition of the national security law on Hong Kong.
The city had been listed at level four, the highest, in March 2022 because of Covid-19, the city’s stringent travel restrictions and security concerns. It was lowered to the level three “reconsider travel” in October.
The latest advisory for Hong Kong said the security law covered offences committed by non-residents or organisations outside the city, which could subject US citizens who have been publicly critical of China or the city’s administration to “a heightened risk of arrest, detention, expulsion, or prosecution”.
It also advised Americans to avoid demonstrations, exercise caution in the vicinity of large gatherings and keep a low profile.
“Participating in demonstrations or any other activities that authorities interpret as constituting an act of secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with a foreign country could result in criminal charges,” the advisory said.
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It also reminded people that US consular officers might be prevented from providing help to those entering the city on American passports, as the Hong Kong government did not recognise dual nationality.
In March last year, the US travel advisory for Hong Kong was upgraded to level four, with Americans warned about the risk of parents and children being separated under stringent Covid-19 policies, and risks regarding “arbitrary enforcement of laws” which they regarded the same as on the mainland.
For the mainland, the State Department advised Americans to reconsider travel under a level three alert, citing the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to “exit bans, and the risk of wrongful detentions”.
The same level applied to Macau, with the State Department warning it had a limited ability to provide emergency services to citizens due to Chinese travel restrictions on US diplomatic personnel.
The Post has contacted the US consulate in Hong Kong to ask about the timing of the downgrade. On Friday, the consulate did not announce the adjustment on its website, but issued a listing of 209 people arrested for alleged national security offences and the progress of their cases.
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In the level one advisory, the lowest, Americans are urged to “exercise normal precautions”.
Last month, following US Secretary for State Antony Blinken’s visit to Beijing, a US government spokesman said both sides welcomed “strengthening people-to-people exchanges between students, scholars, and business”. That includes a commitment to working to increase the number of direct flights between the two countries.
Also last month, US Consul General Gregory May said the number of Americans living in Hong Kong had dipped recently, but the figure appeared to be “bouncing back” this year.
The US’ top envoy in Hong Kong also said he was pleased that travel links between the two locations had returned to normal after the end of the pandemic, adding he expected more direct flights would start up again by the end of the year.
