Westerners in China are warned of Christmas terror attack as security is stepped up
BRITISH and US nationals have been warned of terror attacks on Christmas Day by embassies in China.
China has warned Westerners of a threat this Christmas
Both governments said citizens should remain vigilant in the area of Sanlitun, which is a bar and shopping area in the capital Beijing.
The city's police confirmed a yellow alert was in place, added: “Beijing police are planning ahead and taking many measures… to ensure public order.”
A yellow alert is the second lowest level in China's four-level security alert system.
Photos on social media showed an increase in police presence in front of a shopping centre, which sells international brands in the country's capital.
Westerners have been warned to remain vigilant over Christmas
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, said that he was aware of the reports and that the government paid “great attention” to the safety of foreigners.
The state news agency Xinhua reported: “The alert means there will be increased security checks in shopping areas, and rubbish bins in public areas will be checked every 30 minutes, state news agency.”
China has stepped up its security since the fatal crash in 2013 in Tiananmen Square
Beijing police are planning ahead and taking many measures… to ensure public order
Although major attacks in the Chinese capital are rare, there has been more security in place since the crash in 2013 in Tiananmen Square, in a terror suicide attack which saw five people killed.
Beijing blamed that incident, and several other attacks in the far western region of Xinjiang, on Islamist militants.
Last year, 31 people died in a knife attack at a station in Kunming, a city in the southwest of the country.
Westerners have been warned of threats over Christmas in Beijing