China has strongly criticised U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order creating a new blacklist for countries accused of unjustly detaining Americans, warning that the move could seriously strain ties between Beijing and Washington.
The order, signed on Friday, empowers the U.S. to designate states as “sponsors of wrongful detention,” a label modeled after the designation of state sponsors of terrorism. Countries on the list would face sanctions, U.S. export restrictions, and visa bans for officials linked to the detentions.
While the Trump administration did not immediately name targets, a senior U.S. official said China, Iran, and Afghanistan were under review for what Washington described as “persistent hostage diplomacy.” The State Department could also restrict U.S. citizens from traveling to any country blacklisted under the new measure.
Responding on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian dismissed the accusations, saying Beijing “firmly opposes” the policy.
“China is a country governed by the rule of law, and there is absolutely no question of so-called wrongful detention,” Lin told reporters.
He accused Washington of hypocrisy, adding:
“Wrongful detention, arbitrary detention, coercive diplomacy, long-arm jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions are all monopolies of the United States.”
Lin stressed that China “welcomes citizens and enterprises from all countries to visit and conduct business.”
The issue of detentions has long been a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Under former president Joe Biden, Beijing released several Americans deemed wrongfully detained, in part after Washington softened its travel advisories against China.
Currently, the only country where U.S. citizens are strictly barred from traveling is North Korea. That restriction was imposed after the 2016 detention of American student Otto Warmbier, who was returned to the U.S. in a vegetative state in 2017 and later died.
The new policy adds another layer of tension to already fragile U.S.-China relations, as both powers clash over trade, technology, security, and human rights.
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