A U.S. government employee from the Department of Commerce has been barred from leaving China, the State Department confirmed Monday, as diplomatic strains between Washington and Beijing intensify. The individual, affiliated with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, was reportedly traveling in a personal capacity when Chinese authorities placed them under an exit ban.
“We can confirm that a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee, while traveling to China in a personal capacity, was made subject to an exit ban in China,” a State Department spokesperson said. “We are tracking this case very closely and are engaged with Chinese officials to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
According to The New York Times, the U.S. citizen has been unable to leave China since mid-April. Citing a government document, the report claims the individual’s passport, credit card, mobile phone, and iPad were confiscated by officials in Chengdu on April 14. Although those items were returned by April 22, the individual was still barred from exiting the country.
Chinese officials declined to comment specifically on the Commerce employee but emphasized compliance with national laws.
At a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiaku stated Beijing “upholds the rule of law and handles entry and exit affairs in accordance with the law.”
Guo did, however, confirm that another U.S. citizen, Mao Chenyue, a Managing Director at Wells Fargo based in Atlanta, is also under an exit ban and is facing criminal charges.
“Ms. Mao Chenyue is involved in a criminal case currently being handled by Chinese law-enforcement authorities and is subjected to exit restrictions in accordance with the law. Pursuant to Chinese laws, with the case still under investigation, Ms. Mao cannot leave the country for the time being and has an obligation to cooperate with the investigation,” Guo said.
Chenyue, who was born in Shanghai and leads Wells Fargo’s international factoring division, is a bilingual U.S. citizen, according to her LinkedIn profile and a June press release from the global nonprofit FCI.
In response, a Wells Fargo spokesperson told CBS News:
“We are closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible.”
While the State Department declined to comment specifically on Chenyue’s case, a spokesperson reiterated that “the safety and security of American citizens” remains a top priority.
The U.S. government continues to advise travelers to China to “exercise increased caution,” warning that the country arbitrarily applies exit bans, sometimes without due process. In many cases, U.S. citizens become aware of these restrictions only when attempting to leave the country, and legal options to challenge the bans are often unavailable.
The advisory also highlights that China does not recognize dual nationality, stating:
“U.S. citizens of Chinese descent may be subject to additional scrutiny and harassment.”
These developments unfold against the backdrop of renewed trade negotiations between the two global superpowers. In June, both countries announced progress on a new framework to end their protracted trade war, with an August 12 deadline — imposed by President Trump — looming for a final deal.
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has escalated tariffs on Chinese imports up to 145%, prompting retaliatory tariffs from Beijing. A temporary truce has held as talks continue, but without a finalized agreement, the tariff rates are set to climb further next month.
The rising diplomatic friction and security concerns are prompting growing unease among U.S. companies operating in China. After a wave of office raids on American firms last year, legal experts have raised alarms about the increasing national security scrutiny.
“Unfortunately, in that kind of environment it’s very difficult to operate — when everything is viewed as a national security matter and… it looks as if…. anything you do could be considered to be spying,” said James Zimmerman, a Beijing-based business attorney, in a June 2023 interview with CBS News.
With multiple American citizens now barred from leaving China, the risks associated with U.S.-China relations appear to be deepening, even as both nations attempt to stabilize economic ties.
