Only a safe and friendly environment can attract Chinese travelers

Note: The following article is taken from the Chinese-language "Commentaries on International Affairs".

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel advisory on Tuesday to tourists traveling to the United States, warning them to be vigilant in light of moves by American law enforcement agencies to use immigration checks and interviews to harass travelers from China. On the same day, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued its own advisory, asking tourists to reassess the risks of traveling to the United States in light of a recent spate of shootings, robberies, and thefts.

The two travel advisories, which are valid until the end of the year, indicate that public security is deteriorating in the United States, a major destination for Chinese travelers. Tourists from China face growing risks, including discrimination from law enforcement, which jeopardize their safety and their rights. This is why Chinese authorities did the right thing by issuing these warnings.

Hundreds of Chinese tourists in line to board a tour boat in New York Harbor, April 24, 2018. [Photo: IC]

China is the world's largest source of outbound tourists: In 2018, Chinese citizens made nearly 150 million outbound trips, a year-on-year increase of 14.7 percent. However, less than 3 million trips were made by Chinese tourists to the United States last year, down 5.7 percent from the previous year. This was the first fall in traveler numbers recorded in 15 years. The reason is America's worsening security environment.

Since the beginning of this year, there have been instances where Chinese citizens have been robbed or have experienced thefts in the United States, and the country has been rocked by more than a hundred serious shootings. Just last week, on June 1, a shooting in Virginia left 13 dead. These incidents show that American law enforcement has been unable to address the country's crime rate, which is one of the world's highest.

Meanwhile, American law enforcement is discriminating more and more against certain groups of people. This includes Chinese citizens, many of whom have been harassed by officials as they enter or exit the United States or during their stay in the country.

Some American politicians have launched attacks in an attempt to smear China. Although ostensibly made for political purposes, these attacks also illustrate their deeper prejudices. They are willing to accuse every Chinese citizen of being a spy in their efforts to spread Sinophobia among the American public. The director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher Wray, said at a Senate hearing last year that the agency was trying to "view the China threat as not just a whole-of-government threat, but a whole-of-society threat", and that this supposed threat is "going to take a whole-of-society response". These extreme remarks are stirring up genuine threats to the safety of Chinese citizens travelling to the United States.

Against this backdrop, it was necessary for Chinese authorities to issue travel advisories. And Chinese travelers need to assess the situation in the United States and review their travel plans accordingly. Chinese citizens and China-funded institutions in the United States are also expected to strengthen their efforts to safeguard their interests.

For Chinese citizens, there are a lot of other places they could visit. At the recent China Outbound Tourism and Travel Market Trade Fair, more than 500 exhibitors from more than 70 tourist destinations around the world extended invitations to Chinese tourists.

According to American estimates, 3.3 million Chinese travelers will visit the United States this year; by 2023 that number was supposed to be 4.1 million. But given the current situation, these visits might not eventuate. America's tourism industry has been working hard to win back Chinese tourists: It's hired Chinese-speaking staff, provided Chinese-style breakfasts, and distributed travel brochures tailored for Chinese tourists. But that's far from enough to offset the damage done by the anti-China extremism coming from some sections of the American polity. According to a tourism research institute in Spain, America's tourism sector lost over 500 million U.S. dollars last year due to the growing reluctance of Chinese citizens to travel to the United States.

In the 40 years that have passed since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, China has been actively promoting bilateral cultural exchanges and cooperation. This is because China believes it's in the common interests and a common aspiration of both sides. In recent years, more than 14,000 people have flown between the two countries every day – more than 5 million visits each year. But the hostile suppression of China by certain politicians in Washington has seriously impacted these bilateral exchanges, which have been a cornerstone of China-U.S. relations, and the American tourism industry has been caught in the middle.

The travel advisories issued by China should prompt action by Washington to improve America's security environment as soon as possible, and to guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens traveling to the United States. Only when the United States can provide a safe environment for tourists will it be able to attract more Chinese visitors.