Beijing described as “constructive” a decision by Washington to downgrade its travel advisory warning for mainland China, a revision that coincided with the announcement of a rare prisoner swap between the two countries.

“China has taken note of the [warning] adjustment made by the United States and believes that it will be conducive to the normal exchange of personnel between the two countries,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday.

“We have always opposed the creation of an artificial ‘chilling effect’ and hope that the United States will continue to create more facilities for the promotion of humanistic exchanges between the two countries.”

The US State Department raised its mainland China travel warning last year from “exercise increased caution” to “reconsider travel” because of the “arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans, and the risk of wrongful detentions”.

Beijing consistently called for the advisory to be downgraded.

The revised advisory from “level 3” to “level 2” still includes the mention of exit bans. An unknown number of Americans, including those of Chinese descent, have been blocked from leaving China.