Christmas security warning cautions Westerners in Beijing

Beijing police also said it has started implementing a set of special security measures at places such as shopping malls where many people were expected to visit during the holiday season, after putting a “yellow” alert, the second-lowest of the four-tier warning system.

The nature of the attacks was not clear in the statement, although reports are indicative of increased police presence in the capital city district where some embassies are located and is known for its nightlife venues and worldwide stores. Beijing is generally safe and criminals rarely target foreigners, although the fashionable Sanlitun bar and restaurant area occasionally sees fights.

The US Embassy in Beijing issued a warning Thursday to Westerners in the Chinese capital of a possible terror threat against them on Christmas.

The French embassy in Beijing said it had received information from its American counterparts and urged “utmost vigilance” to its citizens. “The U.S. Embassy has issued the same guidance to U.S. government personnel”. No details on the threat were released by Chinese authorities either.

In August, a woman was stabbed to death in broad daylight by a sword-wielding man there.

Following the alert, armed police, commando units and ambulances were deployed in Sanlitun Area. There was no immediate explanation for the source of possible terrorist attacks.

China is struggling with its own domestic terrorism problem in the northwestern region Xinjiang, where violent clashes between ethnic Uighurs – a predominantly Muslim minority group – and majority Han Chinese have become more common in recent years.