The US Embassy in Beijing has warned Westerners planning revelry in Sanlitun this Christmas that a "possible threat" has been received.
The warning went out via email this morning as was posted to the embassy's website here at about 11.10am.
The warning states: “The US Embassy has received information of possible threats against Westerners in the Sanlitun area of Beijing, on or around Christmas Day. US citizens are urged to exercise heightened vigilance."
Images circulating on social media apparently demonstrate that the Chinese authorities are taking the threat seriously. A picture taken at Taikoo Li showed armed guards in front of Uniqlo, which was the scene of a grisly saber attack earlier this year.
Several Sanlitun restaurants that have been planning special Christmas and Christmas Eve dinners for months have already reported multiple cancellations. One restaurateur whose venue is right outside one of the Diplomatic Residence Compounds in the area, said he spotted the unusual sight of military police with real guns patrolling the area with what looks like bomb-sniffing dogs.
Chinese netizens are already reacting to the news on Weibo. "I just got out of a meeting where my boss said that it would be best if we didn't go for a big group dinner in Sanlitun," said one user. "First I thought it was a joke, then I saw the news from the US Embassy. I guess I'd better take heed – there's lots of foreigners there, and an attack by ISIS really could be a possibility."
- The full text of the US Embassy's warning is below:
"The US Embassy has received information of possible threats against Westerners in the Sanlitun area of Beijing, on or around Christmas Day. US citizens are urged to exercise heightened vigilance. The US Embassy has issued the same guidance to US government personnel.
The State Department's Worldwide Travel Alert message remains in effect.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Contact the US Embassy in Beijing, located at 55 An Jia Lou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, by phone at (+86 10) 8531 4000, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, or by email at BeijingACS@state.gov. For AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES, call 8531 3000 to speak to the operator.
Call 1 888 407 4747 toll-free in the United States or Canada or 1 202 501 4444 from other countries, from 8am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays)."
Meanwhile, a walk-through of Sanlitun at 2.30pm Thursday afternoon revealed nothing out of the ordinary, the only difference being a heightened security presence at Taikoo Li closely monitoring a visit from Santa Claus. A crowd or mostly Chinese shoppers were on hand taking pictures with old Saint Nick. Foreigners didnt seem to be taking any special precautions either, with plenty spotted walking through the neighborhood...
[thebeijinger.com]
24/12/15
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Beijing security: 'Possible threat to Westerners' governments warn....
ReplyDeleteThe UK and US governments have issued a warning about possible threats against Westerners in the Chinese capital Beijing on or around Christmas Day.
British and US officials say they have received information of possible threats in Sanlitun, which is a busy bar and shopping district.
The Australian and French governments have also urged their citizens to remain vigilant.
Beijing police have issued a yellow security alert in the city.
A yellow alert is the second lowest level in China's four-level security alert system......BBC