U.S., Canadian Executives Privately ‘Spooked’ About Traveling To China

The arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, followed by China’s detention of two Canadians, escalated trade and security tensions that are now leading to travel jitters.

Jason Lee / AFP/Getty Images

U.S. executives have long known the risks of traveling to China with cellphones and laptops. Theft of intellectual property and cyberattacks underlie trade tensions between the two countries.

But executives are more skittish than usual these days.

“Certainly Canadian and American business executives are a bit spooked about traveling to China right now,” says Amy Celico of business advisory firm Albright Stonebridge Group.