Beijing asks its citizens to think twice before visiting the US; files complain to WTC

China has issued a travel advisory asking its citizens to evaluate the risks of visiting the U.S. as tourists and to exercise caution.

The advisory, issued by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, cited the deterioration of the China-U.S. economic and trade relations as well as the “safety situation” in the U.S.

The advisory came shortly after China raised its tariffs on the U.S. to 84% as the trade war between the two countries escalated.

Meanwhile, a Chinese envoy at a World Trade Organization council meeting , yesterday said the U.S. tariffs infringed on the right of countries to develop, and noted that earthquake-hit Myanmar was facing an “exorbitant” 44% tariff and even an “uninhabited island, home only to penguins and seals” faced a 10% tariff.

The official said Trump’s tariffs contravened U.S. commitments under WTO rules, and the “so-called ‘reciprocal tariff’ has set the very architecture of the multilateral trading system ablaze.”

The Chinese diplomatic mission in Geneva provided a copy of the statement in the closed-door session to The Associated Press but declined to identify the speaker by name.