Don't go to China: Australians are issued a chilling warning they could be LOCKE

[cadence4u]

Don't go to China: Australians are issued a chilling warning they could be LOCKED UP in hellhole detention centre just for stepping foot in the communist nation

* DFAT said Australians are at risk of 'arbitrary detention' if they travel to China
* Warning said China had detained foreigners for 'endangering national security'
* Australians have been urged not to travel overseas at all due to coronavirus
* The menacing message comes amid growing tensions between the two nations
* Last week China said it is 'not afraid' of Australia's plans to bolster its military

Australians have been warned they could face 'arbitrary detention' in China if they travel to the communist nation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade released a travel advice update on Tuesday featuring a chilling message for travellers planning to head to mainland China.

Australians have already been told not to travel overseas during the coronavirus pandemic.

But the update went further and stated the Chinese government has detained foreigners who it accused of 'endangering national security'.

'China will not allow most foreigners to enter China due to COVID-19,' the DFAT update reads. 'Direct flights between China and Australia have significantly reduced.

'If despite our advice you travel to China, you'll be subject to 14 days mandatory quarantine. Quarantine requirements may change at short notice.

'If you're already in China, and wish to return to Australia, we recommend you do so as soon as possible by commercial means.

'Authorities have detained foreigners because they're "endangering national security". Australians may also be at risk of arbitrary detention.'

A 2019 Amnesty International report said China had 'legalised arbitrary and secret detention', allowing for prolonged periods of no contact with detainees, and an increased risk of torture and other ill-treatment and forced 'confessions'.

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances continues to seek permission to visit China to get a first-hand account of the situation.

It comes amid growing tensions between the two nations after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

China responded by calling Australia 'chronically racist' with accusations of spying on nationals and spreading fake news, while boycotting local industries and urging its students and citizens to study and travel elsewhere.

Controversial Chinese national security laws have been implemented in Hong Kong which threaten life imprisonment for conspiring against the Communist government rule.

Mr Morrison said Australia is 'actively considering' offering a safe haven for Hong Kong residents to provide support in the face of the sanctions.

China said it is 'not afraid' of Australia's plans to bolster its military after Mr Morrison unveiled a $270billion boost to the nation's defence forces last week.

The Prime Minister announced Australia will spend $75billion on the navy, $65billion on the air force, $55billion on the army, $15billion on cyber security, and $7billion on space.

China's state-owned media responded on Friday saying the communist nation won't back down to the 'provocations' and could counter by upgrading its forces.

'These weapon procurement plans have widely been interpreted as being aimed at China,' an article that appeared in The Global Times on Friday stated.

The English language newspaper is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and has recently run another article that alleges Australia is sending spies to China.

The Global Times article titled 'China prepared against military provocation from Australia' quoted 'Chinese experts' who said Australia is a 'follower of the US'.

'Chinese experts said on Thursday that while the Chinese military has no intention of provoking Australia, it is also not afraid of Australian provocations.' the report reads.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8497197/Australians-warned-face-arbitrary-detention-travel-China.html

[countrygirl12]

Why would anybody want to go to China anyway? There is a family somewhat associated with my church that are basically stuck in China. They had the opportunity to leave a couple weeks before the first of May when all this started getting crazy. They were told to leave. But they wanted to wait til the end of April when they were planning to leave anyway. And now they can't get out. As far as I know they are still there. I thought somebody said there is still a travel ban.

[sipingyu]

Haven't heard of that before, is it only targeted toward Australia? I would guess it might apply to more countries.

[ghunter]

Yes, why would anyone want to go to China?

[Nancy5]

Agree, why would anyone travel to a foreign country now, especially China.

[makeblessed]

With this virus, I am not sure why anyone would want to go to China or any other country for that matter right now. The travel restrictions are different and who knows if and when one could get back home; why run  the risk of being stuck in another country for who knows how long!

[debidoo]

It is so concerning that there are wars and rumors of wars in my opinion going on - I would not feel comfortable going to any other country much less China.

[teresa3200]

I have no idea why anyone would want to go there, but I guess this is another reason to avoid it.

[aflyingmonkey]

Australia

I have no idea why anyone would want to go there, but I guess this is another reason to avoid it.

Australia has a large Chinese population & a lot of Chinese industry there, probably people want to travel to China from Australia for work, trade, & to visit family & friends or perhaps just to go back home? 

[Tresbn00]

I would think that people would be going to other countries because the United States is doing such a poor job of containing the corona virus. The United States has a death count of one hundred and thirty five thousand eight hundred and twenty two. The closest country to that is Brazil with sixty nine thousand two hundred and fifty four deaths, United Kingdom/Mexico/France/Spain and India are at twenty to thirty percent of our death counts and every other country has one tenth as many deaths as the United States. Since the European Union took the United States off of the safe list, US citizens are not allowed in to many countries and China, Albania, Kosovo, Lebanon, Serbia, Tanzania are a few countries that would still allow US citizens (at least two of these were called shot (sp) hole countries by Melania's husband).

[Kimdud22]

I would not want to go there anyways. Honestly right now I do not think I would want to go anywhere and I usually love to travel.