The United States embassy in China has issued a warning that Beijing’s use of exit bans against American citizens is threatening to further strain already tense US-China relations. The statement follows reports that a US Commerce Department employee was recently barred from leaving the country.
The case, first reported by The Washington Post, involves a Chinese-American official from the US Patent and Trademark Office who had traveled to China to visit family. The individual was reportedly prevented from leaving without any formal explanation, a practice that US authorities describe as “arbitrary” and damaging to diplomatic ties.
A spokesperson for the US embassy confirmed on Monday that the United States is “closely tracking” incidents involving exit bans on its citizens and has “raised our concern with Chinese authorities about the impact these arbitrary exit bans have on our bilateral relations.” The embassy urged China to immediately allow affected US citizens to return home.
This latest incident comes at a delicate moment in US-China relations, as the two economic superpowers remain embroiled in a trade war and prepare for a possible high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The warning also follows a recent case involving Wells Fargo, which halted all employee travel to China after one of its Atlanta-based managing directors was subjected to an exit ban. The move has alarmed other US businesses and government agencies operating in China.
Exit bans in China are frequently issued without public explanation and have been used in connection with alleged espionage, corruption, or commercial disputes. US officials and human rights groups have long criticized the practice, noting the lack of a transparent legal process for those affected.
“The Chinese government has, for many years, imposed exit bans on US citizens and other foreign nationals in China, often without a clear and transparent judicial process for resolution,” the US embassy spokesperson added.
In response to the growing criticism, China’s foreign ministry defended its legal framework last week, stating that the country is “governed by the rule of law and all Chinese and foreign nationals must abide by Chinese laws while in China.”
