It might seem like a small step, but it is an important and positive one: On Wednesday, the United States Department of State updated its travel advisory for US citizens who wish to visit China. The new advisory was posted the same day Washington and Beijing completed a prisoner swap.

The new Level-2 standard reminds US people to "exercise increased caution" should they be in China. The previous Level 3 advisory urged US citizens to "reconsider travel" to the country.

More than 80 countries are listed at Level 2, the most frequently used category by the US State Department. Multiple Asian locations, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, are currently clubbed at that level. So too are many European nations.

The updated guidance is rather simple: US citizens are urged to "exercise increased caution when traveling to (the Chinese mainland) due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans".

That statement does require further explanation, although it is unlikely any US media outlet will ask for one. Likewise, no US government official is likely to volunteer more information.

Let's not mince words here: with no indication that any US citizen has been prevented from leaving China, it seems illogical to warn US citizens of "arbitrary enforcement of local laws". In fact, the opposite seems quite clear: No US citizen should anticipate any holdup when leaving China.

On the other hand, Chinese citizens are the ones who have felt the sting of "arbitrary "enforcement of US laws in recent years.

We all know that multiple Chinese scholars and students have been harassed by US law enforcement and other government officials over the past five to six years. All of them deserve an open and complete apology from Washington.

The infamous China Initiative remains a scandalous mark on the US' commitment to freedom. The suggestion that multiple Chinese scholars were engaged in espionage could not be demonstrated, but the scrutiny those men and women endured in many cases permanently damaged their affinity for the US.

Those scholars who chose to return home cannot be blamed for taking that action: The security and safety they felt in the US were lost. What a terrible way for the US to treat these honest men and women.

More recently, the unnecessary detainment earlier this year of Chinese students who were flying into the US drew a strong rebuke from China. Multiple reports indicated the students were often asked about any connections they might have to the Chinese government, a remarkably insensitive question to ask. Sadly, some of the students were denied entry into the US and told to board another flight back to China, a callous decision that damaged their educational opportunities. To repeat the words mentioned above, what a terrible way for the US to treat these honest men and women.

US citizens should remember that China has not retaliated by scrutinizing them in or while attempting to enter the country. In fact, China, and especially President Xi Jinping, has made clear that US citizens are encouraged to visit, study and live in China. Late last year, during his trip to the US for the annual APEC conference, President Xi announced that China wants to welcome 50,000 US students over the next five years. Granted, more than 270,000 Chinese students currently are studying in the US, yet US President Joe Biden missed a tremendous opportunity at that time by opting not to do something that would have thrown open US' doors even wider to all Chinese citizens.

Returning to the State Department advisories, US citizens are told that they should "exercise normal precautions" whenever visiting a nation listed at Level 1. Should China be at Level 1? The few items mentioned above simplify the complexity associated with traveling to any country, but the evidence suggests US citizens should feel no worries about entering or leaving China. Modern conveniences are everywhere, and the country is not facing internal strife.

People-to-people exchanges, whether happening through education, culture, sports or some other avenues, form the foundation for a community with a shared future for mankind, a vision mentioned often by President Xi. Yes, by shifting China to a Level 2 advisory, the US State Department has provided increased assurance to US citizens seeking to visit China. One can hope that the raw political climate created by Washington — think small yards and high fences — is not preventing the potential for China to be at Level 1.

The author is department head and an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Organizational Leadership at Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania, the United States. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.