China issues U.S. safety alert for citizens, citing 'malicious questioning' by border officers

China’s foreign ministry on Thursday issued a notice warning citizens of security risks traveling to the U.S. and advised citizens not to enter the country from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The Chinese ministry said recently that about 20 Chinese scholars traveled to the U.S. to attend an academic conference, but were subjected to “unreasonable questioning” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Seattle airport and were denied entry.

The Chinese scholars were holding valid U.S. visas, the ministry said.

Nationals planning trips to the U.S. should “strengthen safety awareness, avoid entering through this airport ... and make all necessary preparations,” the ministry said, citing “repeated incidents of malicious questioning and harassment targeting Chinese scholars” at the Seattle-Tacoma airport.

If questioned by U.S. law enforcement officers, nationals should respond calmly and rationally, the ministry said.

CBP did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment from NBC News.

Last week China called on U.S. authorities to investigate the death of a scientist who was found inside a university building in Michigan.

The Chinese assistant research scientist was discovered after falling from a significant height, the university said in a statement.

The university said the incident was being investigated as a “possible act of self-harm.”

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., told NBC News last week that officials were “deeply distressed by this tragedy.”

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“The Chinese side has repeatedly lodged solemn representations with relevant U.S. government agencies and universities regarding this case,” Liu said, adding that officials had “established contact with the victim’s family immediately” to provide assistance.

He also urged Chinese students in the U.S. to “heighten their safety awareness” and “handle U.S. law enforcement actions appropriately.”

China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry suggested the researcher may have faced pressure from law enforcement, saying the U.S. must cease “discriminatory law enforcement action” that leads to Chinese students and scholars facing “unwarranted questioning” and “harassment.”

The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Michigan State Police did not respond to requests for comment from NBC News.