The State Department downgraded its travel advisory for China on Wednesday after the release of three U.S. citizens who had been held in the country for years.

The exchange, in which three Americans were freed Wednesday, played a role in the State Department’s downgrading of the travel advisory for China.

The State Department on Wednesday downgraded its travel advisory for China, shortly after the White House announced it had secured the release of three Americans as part of a prisoner swap with

The plight of Americans facing exit bans in China show the enduring risks of getting caught in the country’s murky legal system.

The U.S. downgraded its travel advisory for China to Level 2 following a prisoner exchange, impacting travel recommendations for citizens.