A clandestine "exit ban" imposed on a U.S. Commerce Department employee sheds light on China's intelligence tactics and U.S.-China diplomatic tensions.
U.S. Citizen Detained in China Under Suspicion of Military Links
U.S. Citizen Detained in China Under Suspicion of Military Links
An American Commerce Department employee remains barred from leaving China following interrogation by Chinese intelligence regarding his military service.
July 21, 2025 – In a significant escalation of U.S.-China relations, a U.S. citizen working for the Commerce Department has been placed under an exit ban by the Chinese Ministry of State Security. This government employee was subjected to questioning about his prior military service while visiting family in southwestern China, highlighting persistent worries over China's surveillance and intelligence operations against foreign nationals.
According to a U.S. State Department cable obtained by The New York Times, the American has been unable to leave China since mid-April. The document, dated May 2 and sent from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, detailed the employee's experiences, including the seizure of his passport, credit card, cellphone, and iPad on April 14 by Chinese officers. Although his passport was returned on April 22, he was informed that he could not depart the country.
The cable, which does not disclose the individual’s identity, reveals extensive surveillance efforts by Chinese authorities during the man's stay and U.S. diplomatic attempts to secure his return from Chengdu to Beijing. As the situation gained media attention over the weekend, it underscores both the risks faced by American citizens in China and the complex diplomatic landscape between Washington and Beijing.
While the full implications of such exit bans on U.S. officials remain uncertain, this incident exemplifies China's increasing control over foreign nationals and raises concerns about the safety of Americans abroad, particularly in regions of high political tension. With his wife residing in the United States, the employee's case has become emblematic of broader challenges in U.S.-China relations regarding human rights and national security.
According to a U.S. State Department cable obtained by The New York Times, the American has been unable to leave China since mid-April. The document, dated May 2 and sent from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, detailed the employee's experiences, including the seizure of his passport, credit card, cellphone, and iPad on April 14 by Chinese officers. Although his passport was returned on April 22, he was informed that he could not depart the country.
The cable, which does not disclose the individual’s identity, reveals extensive surveillance efforts by Chinese authorities during the man's stay and U.S. diplomatic attempts to secure his return from Chengdu to Beijing. As the situation gained media attention over the weekend, it underscores both the risks faced by American citizens in China and the complex diplomatic landscape between Washington and Beijing.
While the full implications of such exit bans on U.S. officials remain uncertain, this incident exemplifies China's increasing control over foreign nationals and raises concerns about the safety of Americans abroad, particularly in regions of high political tension. With his wife residing in the United States, the employee's case has become emblematic of broader challenges in U.S.-China relations regarding human rights and national security.
