US Lowers Travel Advisory for China

The U.S. State Department has downgraded its travel advisory for mainland China from Level 3, 'reconsider travel,' to Level 2, 'exercise increased caution,' following the release of three American citizens in a prisoner exchange. This change comes after Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung were freed, concluding a diplomatic effort by the Biden administration regarding wrongful detentions. The new advisory removes the 'D' designation indicating a risk of wrongful detention, as the State Department stated that no Americans are currently wrongfully detained in China. However, the advisory still warns U.S. citizens about the arbitrary enforcement of local laws and the potential for interrogations and detention without fair treatment. The travel advisory shift is also expected to facilitate travel for U.S. academics working with Chinese institutions. The prisoner swap involved the release of unidentified Chinese nationals detained in the U.S.