HIGH ALERT

U.S. Embassy in Beijing Warns of Threat

British, French embassies send alert also.

The U.S. embassy said Thursday it received information of possible threats against Westerners visiting a shopping district in Beijing on or around Christmas Day. The embassy sent a message to U.S. citizens to be on high alert and issued the same warning to American government personnel. Beijing’s Sanlitun district, where the warning was issued, is home to many popular bars and restuarants. The British and French embassies also issued statements urging nationals to be careful during the holiday season. In August, a man wielding a sword attacked a Chinese woman and a Frenchman in the same district. The woman later died.