BEIJING _ As tensions build in the U.S. over the election of Donald Trump as president, China's consulate in San Francisco has warned Chinese students in the U.S. of anti-China sentiment and advised them to avoid "riots."
The consulate posted the warning Monday to its public account on WeChat, a popular Chinese chat app. Addressing "Chinese exchange students, visiting students, teachers and volunteers," it said that protests had spread to several U.S. cities and that "some cities' demonstrations have turned into riots."
The anti-Trump protests, which have taken place in dozens of cities, have for the most part been peaceful.
But across the country, there have been numerous reports of Trump supporters subjecting minorities to harassment and intimidation.
"Chinese exchange students in a few places have been subject to verbal abuse," the consulate statement said, noting that "there has been a lot of anti-China speech."
Chinese authorities strictly prohibit most protests in their own country and frequently detain activists for even planning small demonstrations.
About 328,000 Chinese students studied at U.S. colleges in 2015, accounting for 31 percent of all international students in the U.S.
