Western Embassies in China Warn of Threats Around Christmas

Foreign embassies in China issued a warning Thursday about possible threats against “Westerners” in a popular Beijing neighbourhood ahead of the Christmas holiday.

The embassies sent out warnings to their citizens and staff, urging extra vigilance if they are in the Sanlitun district.

As Christians around the world are preparing to celebrate the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, the United States and Britain have issued a warning about possible threats against Westerners in the Chinese capital Beijing on or around Christmas Day.

The embassy said the threat was centered on the Sanlitun area of Beijing, a popular shopping and nightlife district of the city frequented by expats. It is not clear if the USA notice and the Chinese alert were related. None gave any further details about the threat.

Dozens of police, some with rifles, were standing on guard in the area, which has many big-name brand stores and some embassies.

Beijing police, in a statement on their official microblog, said they had issued a “yellow” security alert for Christmas and New Year, the second lowest level, focused on areas like malls, which are likely to see more people visiting during the festivities. “The Beijing police will spare no efforts to ensure security and order”. The French Embassy posted statements on its website.

Although attacks on foreigners are rare, Sanlitun has been the site of violence. “Outside of Xinjiang you should be vigilant when transiting public transport hubs, which have been the subject of recent attacks”.