The United States has merged its travel warning for Hong Kong with that of mainland China, urging people to reconsider travel to both places due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, RTHK reports. The US State Department said on its website on Thursday that since the National Security Law was imposed in Hong Kong, Beijing had unilaterally and arbitrarily exercised police and security power in the SAR. It said a Chinese propaganda campaign falsely accused individuals, including American citizens, of fomenting unrest in Hong Kong, publishing personal information, resulting in some people receiving threats of violence on social media. It said the central government also used the tactics to gain "bargaining leverage over foreign governments", without giving details. It warned that US citizens travelling or living in China, including Hong Kong, may be detained without access to US consular services or information about their alleged crime, and might be subjected to extended detention without due process of law.

Source: The Standard December 18, 2020 02:03 UTC