Canada has officially updated its travel advisory for China, suggesting Canadians exercise a 鈥渄ue to the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws.鈥�

The move comes after diplomatic tensions escalated Monday when a Canadian citizen was sentenced to death.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was initially arrested in 2014 and tried in 2016, was re-tried and sentenced to death for allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine.

鈥淲e are constantly evaluating our travel advice for Canadians traveling to China, as we do for all countries around the world,鈥� said Global Affairs Canada in a statement. 鈥淎ll Canadians who are considering travel to China should carefully review the Government of Canada鈥檚 complete Travel Advice and Advisory.鈥�

The update follows a similar change by the U.S. government earlier this month, which warns its citizens to 鈥溾�� for similar reasons, including 鈥渟pecial restrictions on dual U.S.-Chinese nationals.鈥�

Schellenberg鈥檚 case escalated publicly after the Dec. 1 arrest in Vancouver of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, at the request of the U.S. government. Since the arrest, China detained two Canadians in apparent retaliation -- arrests that Canada has condemned as arbitrary.

The new advisory underscores what former diplomat Ben Rowswell called a 鈥渃hilling effect鈥� in travel to China in the wake of the recent detentions.

鈥淐hina is really shooting itself in the foot again and again in this case,鈥� Rowswell, the president of the Canadian International Council think tank, told CTV鈥檚 Power Play on Monday. 鈥淭he detention of two Canadians was already sending this chilling effect to any businessman, any businesswoman, any academic that might (not) want to travel to China for fear they might be arrested. Now they鈥檝e got to be worried that they might be put to death.鈥�

Though not the highest , advice to 鈥渆xercise a high degree of caution鈥� means that there are 鈥渋dentifiable safety and security concerns or the safety and security situation could change with little notice,鈥� the Global Affairs Canada website reads, adding that Canadians should 鈥渕onitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.鈥�

More than 100 countries are listed with high risk levels, including the two highest levels, 鈥淎void non-essential travel鈥� and 鈥淎void all travel,鈥� which are issued when the 鈥渟afety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country may be compromised.鈥�