China Bars 2 US Citizens From Leaving Country

Two American citizens—a US Department of Commerce employee and a Wells Fargo banker—have been barred from leaving China, highlighting rising tensions and mounting risks for foreigners as Washington and Beijing edge toward a critical trade deadline. The State Department says a US Patent and Trademark Office employee traveling privately has been barred from leaving China since mid-April. The New York Times reports that the individual's travel documents and electronics were confiscated and later returned, but he remains unable to depart. The employee told US diplomats that Chinese officers who questioned him focused on his military service, not his work for the Commerce unit.

Separately, Chinese authorities have confirmed that Mao Chenyue, a Wells Fargo managing director based in Atlanta, is subject to an exit ban while facing criminal charges, CBS News reports. Mao, a US citizen originally from Shanghai, leads the bank's international factoring business. Chinese officials state that her case is under investigation, requiring her cooperation and preventing her from leaving the country. Wells Fargo says it is working through appropriate channels to resolve the matter.

The State Department warns Americans traveling in China of possible arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including exit bans, often imposed without transparent legal process. Dual nationality is not recognized in China, meaning "US citizens of Chinese descent may be subject to additional scrutiny and harassment," the department says. These incidents come at a time of heightened sensitivity in US-China relations, as President Trump set an Aug. 12 deadline for the country to finalize a trade agreement.