China on Thursday warned its citizens to exercise caution when entering the United States through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after 20 Chinese scholars with valid visas were subjected to what Beijing called unreasonable questioning and then denied entry.
The warning, issued through China’s consular affairs office on X, said Chinese academics had faced repeated incidents of malicious inspections and harassment at the airport. The group was reported to have been traveling to attend a conference when U.S. border officials stopped them, according to the South China Morning Post.
The notice urged travelers to learn U.S. entry rules before departure and to be ready for extra scrutiny. It was unclear whether the denials were tied to the travelers’ conference plans, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection had not responded to requests for comment when the report was published.
Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China, called the move puzzling and said it did not set a good tone for upcoming meetings between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. The Port of Seattle said it does not control federal inspection processes, underscoring that the airport itself does not decide who is admitted to the country. Beijing’s warning now adds a fresh point of strain to China news coverage as both sides prepare for a high-level political encounter.
For the 20 scholars turned back at the airport, the denial was immediate and personal. For officials in Beijing, it became a public warning to every Chinese traveler heading to the United States through Seattle.
