Foreign nationals trapped? Xi Jinping’s exit bans raise alarm over travel risks in China

A U.S. citizen who works for the Commerce Department went to China to visit family, but now can’t leave the country, reported by The Washington Post. The man reportedly didn’t mention on his visa that he worked for the U.S. government, which may have caused the issue.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that China blocked a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee who was visiting China in a personal capacity, according to a spokesperson on Monday The U.S. is closely watching the case and is talking to Chinese officials to fix the situation quickly, said a State Department spokesperson, as per the Reuters report.

China says it is following the law

The Commerce Department, which the Patent Office is part of, didn’t respond to questions from reporters yet. The U.S. official’s name was not revealed, and it’s also unclear if he has been detained. When asked about the case, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said he had no specific details, but added that China follows its laws for all entry and exit cases, during a Tuesday briefing.


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Beijing has often used “exit bans” to stop people—both Chinese and foreigners—from leaving the country during civil disputes, criminal probes or regulatory issues, according to analysts. Experts also believe these exit bans are sometimes used to pressure foreign countries, or to control local dissent within China, as per the Reuters reports.

More foreign citizens facing exit bans

Tensions between the U.S. and China have already been high over things like trade, COVID-19, and Taiwan. In another case, Chenyue Mao, a U.S. citizen and banker for Wells Fargo, has also been banned from leaving China, confirmed by China’s foreign ministry on Monday, as per the reports.

Chinese officials said Mao is involved in a criminal investigation and must cooperate with the authorities. After Mao’s case, Wells Fargo stopped all employee travel to China, a source told Reuters last week. More foreign executives are also being stopped at airports and barred from leaving, showing a wider pattern of rising risk for foreigners traveling to China, according to the report by Reuters.

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FAQs

Q1. Why is a U.S. government employee not allowed to leave China?
A U.S. official is reportedly stuck in China after failing to mention his government job on his visa, according to reports.

Q2. What are China’s exit bans and who do they affect?
China uses exit bans to stop both foreigners and locals from leaving during legal or political issues, experts say.