Beijing Alert: Safe or Not?
globaltravelerusa.com, 5/9/2008
Editor's Note: According to the Olympic Fact Sheet (see below), the Olympic Summer Games and the Beijing Paralympic Summer Games will take place from August 8-24, 2008, and September 6-17, 2008, respectively. There are seven major venue sites, six outside of Beijing, including Hong Kong, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Tianjin. Equestrian events will be held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao. Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Tianjin will host the soccer preliminaries.
Various media jumped this week on the fact that the U.S. State Dept. has issued a new alert regarding travel to Beijing before and during the Olympics. The statement, however, has nothing to do with the demonstrations surrounding the Olympic torch in Europe, the status of Tibet, or surging Chinese nationalism in the face of perceived international insults. Instead, the alert warns of the possibility of terrorism:
“Any large-scale public event such as the upcoming Olympic Games may present an attractive target for terrorists. There is a heightened risk that extremist groups will conduct terrorist acts within China in the near future”.
The alert tells U.S. citizens traveling in China to “use caution and to be alert to their surroundings at all times, including at hotels, in restaurants, on public transportation and where there are demonstrations and other large-scale public gatherings. Consistent with our standard advice, American citizens are urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations... American citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security.” Unfortunately, it makes no suggestions as to what those appropriate steps might be, other than strongly suggesting that visitors to Beijing register with the U.S. Embassy there.
It also reminds travelers that China is in the process of imposing stricter security at its airports, including the ever-popular “liquids, aerosols or gels” embargo; “such restrictions may apply to food, cosmetics, toiletries and medicine,” the alert says, suggesting you check with your airline for details.
The Olympic Fact Sheet issued in March actually has more helpful information than the new alert. Regarding registering with the embassy, it says, “Since this registration system site is not always available from within China, registering before you leave home is highly recommended. If you need to register, are already in China, and have not been successful registering on the internet, please contact AmCitBeijing@state.gov”.
Another useful tidbit in the fact sheet: “All visitors should be aware that they have no reasonable expectation of privacy in public or private locations. All hotel rooms and offices are considered to be subject to on-site or remote technical monitoring at all times. Hotel rooms, residences and offices may be accessed at any time without the occupant's consent or knowledge.”
Should you need to go to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, be aware that you may not bring any electronic devices, including a cell phone or PDA. Since that might mean you'd have to discard it in the event of an emergency situation, it might be wise to leave your BlackBerry at home and get a disposable phone for your trip.