The United States has issued a warning to its citizens in China in the wake of the regime's imposition of strict "national security laws" over Hong Kong, The Guardian reports.
Lawyers have cautioned that the extra-territorial jurisdiction China has thereby asserted could potentially be used in order to bring charges against foreign nationals if they are found to have expressed criticism of the Chinese government, even in private communications.
“Security personnel may detain and/or deport US citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese government,” the US government's e-mail warned, adding that if arrested, US citizens could be denied “access to US consular services or information about their alleged crime,” and be subjected to “prolonged interrogations and extended detention” for reasons related to state security.