Warning from US embassy in China signals lockdowns are likely to intensify amid protests

The U. S. embassy in China released a statement calling on its citizens in the country to "keep a 14-day supply of medications, bottled water, and food for yourself and any members of your household," on Monday morning.

"The People’s Republic of China (PRC) authorities have expanded COVID-19 prevention restrictions and control measures as outbreaks occur. These measures may include residential quarantines, mass testing, closures, transportation disruptions, lockdowns, and possible family separation. Ambassador Burns and other Mission officials have regularly raised our concerns on many of these issues directly with senior PRC officials and will continue to do so," read the statement.

David Tafuri, a former State Department official and foreign policy adviser to the Obama campaign, says the State Department is trying to get ahead of the situation and prevent citizens from being caught up in a tense situation inside China.

"I think this is a message to U. S. Citizens in China that the State Department believes the combination of further anti-COVID measures and a potential crackdown on protesters by China could result in further lockdowns and travel bans that could put U.S. citizens at risk for arrest if they leave their homes," added Tafuri.

Tumultuous protests broke out in several Chinese cities over the country's "zero-COVID" policy and a deadly fire in a high-rise building that cost 10 people their lives.

The building, located in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province, had been in partial lockdown for nearly two months.... (Read more)

Latest News