China warns citizens against travel to US

Beijing has stepped up its warnings against the U.S. by cautioning about working, studying and traveling in America.

The warnings come amid an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies and other tensions, including trading barbs over each other’s human rights records.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a safety warning on Tuesday for Chinese citizens and companies in the U.S. according to state broadcaster CCTV.

“Recently, U.S. law enforcement agencies have on multiple occasions used methods such as entry and exit checks, and on-site interviews to harass Chinese citizens in the U.S.,” the ministry said, according to CCTV.

“The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in the U.S. warn Chinese citizens and Chinese-invested institutions to raise their safety awareness, strengthen preventative measures, and respond properly,” it added.

“In case of emergency, please promptly contact the Chinese consulate in the U.S. for help.”

"Recently, shootings, robberies and thefts have occurred frequently in the United States," state media reported, citing a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The warnings come a day after the education ministry said students and academics were facing US visa problems and urged them to assess the "risk" of travelling to the United States.