Beijing, April 11 — Growing tensions between China and the United States are sparking anxiety among Chinese tourists and students, following official risk alerts issued by Beijing this week warning about travel and study in the US. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with the Ministry of Education, released separate advisories on Wednesday citing deteriorating bilateral relations and increasing safety concerns.
The travel alert urges Chinese nationals to thoroughly assess the risks of visiting the US and to remain vigilant while in the country. The advisory follows a dramatic escalation in economic friction, as China announced it would increase tariffs on US goods from 34% to 84%, matching similar recent moves by Washington.
“The current tension has altered the travel atmosphere and heightened my safety concerns,” said a tourist surnamed Yang from Anhui Province, who canceled her planned trip to the US just days before departure.
Others echoed similar sentiments online. A traveler identified as Li said he quickly purchased refundable travel insurance as a precaution. Another netizen currently visiting the US shared that he and his travel companions decided to cut their month-long trip short, citing worries that rising tensions might spill over to affect ordinary people.
A Shenzhen-based travel agency specializing in US-bound trips reported a spike in customer inquiries in the last 24 hours. “Most of our clients are concerned about safety and potential disruptions to their itineraries,” a representative told Global Times, adding that the agency is updating travelers regularly and placing safety above all else.
Education Alert Raises Alarm Among Students and Counselors
Alongside the tourism notice, China’s Ministry of Education also released its first overseas study alert of 2025, specifically cautioning students considering study in the US. The warning follows a new higher education bill passed in Ohio, which includes provisions seen as restrictive toward China and its academic institutions.
Beijing’s alert encourages students to assess security risks carefully and to increase their awareness when choosing to study in the US, particularly in affected states.
Education consultant Hannah Liang, based in Beijing, noted growing unease among her clients. “Concerns about unstable US immigration policies and the reduction of academic funding have already been simmering. This latest advisory has added to the uncertainty,” she said. Increasingly, students are diversifying their applications, now including institutions in the UK and Australia as backup options.
Liang, who maintains contact with former clients currently studying in the US, said that although no one has lost their student status, unease is spreading. “Panic is in the air.”
Students in the US Feel the Pressure
Sun Fan, a postgraduate computer science student at Purdue University, said the alerts have made him and his peers more acutely aware of the tightening environment for Chinese students in the US.
“We came here to learn and grow,” he said. “All we ask for is a welcoming environment where we can focus on our education without fear or uncertainty.”
The warning comes amid heightened scrutiny of Chinese nationals in the US academic system. On March 19, US House Representative John Moolenaar sent letters to six university presidents, claiming Chinese researchers were gaining access to sensitive technologies. In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urged the US to avoid using national security as a pretext for discrimination and to protect the rights of Chinese students.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Thursday that the alerts stem from “hegemonic and bullying” tactics by the US, which have weakened public support for bilateral exchanges. Lin emphasized that China would continue to defend its legitimate rights and interests.
As both governments dig deeper into their economic and ideological standoff, the effects are rippling out to the people who once served as informal ambassadors—tourists and students—now caught in the crosshairs of geopolitical strife.
