Two U.S. citizens, a Department of Commerce employee and a Wells Fargo banker, have been restricted from leaving China.
“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 Monday. “We are tracking this case very closely and are engaged with Chinese officials to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
The Commerce Department employee was prevented from leaving China in April. Beijing officials seized his passport, credit card, cellphone, and iPad while he was in Chengdu, China, according to a State Department document obtained by the New York Times. He was given back those items about a week after their seizure, but told he could not leave the country.
According to the Washington Post, the man did not disclose on his visa application that he worked for the U.S. government. He traveled to China to visit family.
At a press conference Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiaku did not directly comment on the case of the Commerce Department employee, saying the country “upholds the rule of law and handles entry and exit affairs in accordance with the law.”
However, Jiaku did confirm that Wells Fargo banker Mao Chenyue was also restricted from leaving China 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,” Jiaku said.
Wells Fargo suspended all travel to China after Mao’s exit ban, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Wells Fargo said it is “closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible.”
The U.S. State Department has warned Americans traveling to China to “exercise increased caution,” noting that China “arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law.”
WELLS FARGO WORKER SAT AT DESK FOR DAYS BEFORE BEING DISCOVERED DEAD
China additionally does not recognize dual citizenship, and oftentimes considers Chinese-Americans to be Chinese nationals whether or not they are U.S. citizens.
According to the Washington Post, dozens of Americans, many of them ethnic Chinese, are under exit bans. The State Department said bans are imposed “often without a clear and transparent process for resolution.”