US government employee stopped from leaving China, US says
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The man was reportedly a Chinese American employee of the US Patent and Trademark Office.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
- A US Patent and Trademark Office employee was stopped from leaving China during a personal trip, prompting US State Department involvement.
- China stated it handles entry/exit matters lawfully but declined detailed comment; reports suggest visa application issues as the cause.
- The US is tracking the case closely with Chinese officials after previous detainee swops and relaxed travel warnings between both nations.
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WASHINGTON – An employee of the US government was prevented from leaving China while on a personal trip, the State Department said on July 22, renewing an issue that has divided the two powers.
“We can confirm that a US Patent and Trademark Office employee, while travelling 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.”
Beijing declined to discuss the case in detail. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters: “China is a country under the rule of law, and it handles entry and exit affairs in accordance with the law.”
The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, said the man was a Chinese American who was visiting family and was stopped for not disclosing his work for the US government on his visa application.
In the final months of former US president Joe Biden’s term, China freed three jailed Americans in a swop. The United States in turn agreed to loosen its travel warning for China, encouraging Americans to “exercise caution” rather than discouraging travel.
While the Biden administration hailed its efforts to free detained US citizens, advocates say other Americans, generally dual nationals, are subject to exit bans on leaving China.
The US earlier in July said it had arrested two Chinese nationals who allegedly sought to recruit US Navy servicemen or servicewomen as intelligence assets.
US President Donald Trump has described China as the top adversary of the US but has also spoken fondly of his relationship with counterpart Xi Jinping. AFP
