An armed police officer stands in front of a shopping mall in the Sanlitun area in Beijing on Thursday. Foreign embassies issued warnings on Christmas Eve to their citizens to watch out for possible attacks on Westerners. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Photo: Li Hao/GT

Beijing authorities have heightened security measures at busy commercial centers on Christmas Eve, while the US and UK embassies in China issued notices warning of possible threats against Westerners in Beijing's Sanlitun commercial and entertainment district.

Unconfirmed reports claim the vigilant measures are in response to possible terrorist attacks linked to the Islamic State.

The two embassies have "received information of possible threats against Westerners in the Sanlitun area of Beijing, on or around Christmas Day," read notices posted on their websites on Thursday.

US and UK citizens are urged to exercise heightened vigilance, and the two embassies have issued the same to their government personnel, read the notices.

There were no further details on the potential threats as of press time Thursday, and it was unclear whether the stationing of armed police officers and vehicles in the Sanlitun area is related to the warning, US embassy spokesperson Benjamin Weber told the Global Times by phone on Thursday.

The US Embassy has also encouraged US citizens to sign into the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for security messages and to make it easier for US authorities to locate them in an emergency.

High alert

The Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau also issued a yellow security alert to shopping malls and supermarkets during the Christmas holiday, according to the bureau's official Weibo account.

A yellow alert is the third of a four-level alert system, which signifies the "discovery of a complicated incident that would threaten or hamper public security, political stability and economic order and cause injuries and death" in certain areas, according to the city government.

Yellow alerts have previously been issued at major events such as the Spring Festival and National Day holidays.

Police will be stationed inside supermarkets and shopping malls in Beijing, Beijing police said in the statement.

An employee of the Beijing Haidian Experimental Primary School told the Global Times that the school has warned parents and teachers not to go to densely populated areas such as Sanlitun and Houhai Lake over the holidays.

Armed police were deployed in the Sanlitun area, stationed outside nearby subway stations and on main roads. Sanlitun is a popular shopping area featuring international outlets, including those of Uniqlo and Apple. It is also near the diplomatic district.

A heightened presence of armed guards and vehicles was noticed around embassies in Beijing.

Police in Sanlitun refused to make further comments, but a police officer on the scene told the Global Times that he was deployed to the area on Thursday morning without being told why.

"We heard that there might be possible threats against Westerners around the Sanlitun area. We were planning to buy some Christmas gifts in the shopping malls, but we've decided to go home," a foreigner named Chris told the Global Times on Thursday in Sanlitun.

Others chose to stay, saying that they found the presence of armed police reassuring.

A Chinese woman was killed by a sword-wielding man in Beijing's Sanlitun shopping district in August. Her husband, a Frenchman, was also injured. The attacker, a Chinese man, said he hated Americans, the Global Times reported earlier.

Fears of terrorism

Viral posts on the Internet alleged that terrorists will conduct attacks in Beijing during Christmas, though there was no official confirmation as of press time.

One post, featuring a photo of what looks like an internal circular issued by the China Investment Corporation, said that according to a notice from a national security department, ISIS may stage terrorist attacks at densely populated areas with Westerners in Beijing.

It warned its employees to avoid visiting crowded areas during the Christmas season.

A staff member who answered a call from the Global Times did not confirm or deny the existence of such a circular, but said the company "closely pays attention to any notice from the Chinese government," citing the company's PR department.

France and Australia also issued warnings to their citizens in Beijing to be mindful of possible threats.  The Australian government also urged caution in China, particularly in the Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said during Thursday's regular press briefing in Beijing that he was aware of the reports and that the government pays great attention to the safety of foreigners, according to a Reuters report.