A Chinese-American citizen working at the US Department of Commerce was prohibited from leaving China months ago after visiting the country for family reasons and remains stranded in China to this day, according to four sources familiar with the situation. The authorities accused the man of failing to declare his employment with the US government when applying for a visa, leading to restrictions on his departure.
This incident comes at a time of heightened tension between Washington and Beijing, with the Chinese-American man, an employee of the US Patent and Trademark Office, getting caught up in China’s controversial measures to restrict the departure of Chinese citizens and foreigners.
China’s practice of imposing exit bans on American citizens has long been a point of contention between the two countries, with senior US diplomats expressing concern to the Chinese authorities about this case. A source mentioned, “The US has sent messages to China at a very high level, requesting the release of the individual.”
A spokesperson for the US Department of Commerce, when asked by the media, stated that the relevant issues should be responded to by the US State Department. The US State Department declined to comment on the case, emphasizing that their top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of US citizens abroad. The statement highlighted the monitoring of such cases closely and expressing concerns to China about the well-being of American citizens affected by these arbitrary exit bans and urging them to allow the impacted individuals to return home immediately.
The US State Department noted that these exit bans often lack clear and transparent resolution procedures. This incident occurs at a highly sensitive moment in US-China relations, with the particularity of the individual involved being a US government official. According to sources, this situation is exceptionally rare, carrying heightened sensitivity and abnormality.
Washington typically views such incidents as Beijing’s political tactics to pressure or coerce specific individuals and businesses to achieve its political or diplomatic objectives. John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Committee on China, expressed deep concern over another instance of Chinese “hostage diplomacy,” emphasizing the urgency of safeguarding the freedom of all Americans and criticizing China’s unjust detention practices.
Researcher Shen Ming-shi of the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies told The Epoch Times, “Generally speaking, although China appears to be taking more conciliatory measures towards the US, competition and confrontation between the US and China have been on the rise. China may be accumulating strategic leverage for future dealings with the US through such actions. There could be strategic or tactical motives behind it.”
Experts and former officials noted that individuals restricted from leaving China in the past could still freely move within the country, have opportunities to meet with consular officials or even journalists, but their movements are often closely monitored, and some cases may take years to resolve.
Currently, at least dozens of American citizens are subject to exit restrictions by the Chinese authorities, with many of them being of Chinese descent. The exact number is difficult to ascertain as individuals often discover the ban when attempting to leave or choose to remain discreet to avoid complicating the situation further.
John Kamm, chairman and founder of the Dui Hua Foundation, stated that he is aware of at least 30 ongoing cases of Americans being restricted from leaving China, suggesting that the actual number could be as high as 50, with the number of cases on the rise. Kamm receives up to two new cases per month, with many involving disputes among businessmen in the region.
Experts pointed out that the threshold for Chinese authorities to impose exit bans is relatively low, with local courts issuing bans in civil or commercial disputes without the need for police involvement. Under the broad and vague National Security Law in China, many individuals get detained or restricted from leaving for engaging in activities considered legal in other countries, such as collecting information for business purposes.
Despite the unresolved tensions between the US and China, US and Chinese diplomats remain cautiously optimistic about a potential meeting between President Trump and President Xi this year. After meeting with Wang Yi in Malaysia, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated a high likelihood of a Trump-Xi meeting.
Previous US-China agreements have included “prisoner exchange deals,” with the Biden administration facilitating the release of three Americans last year. However, such agreements typically do not cover individuals with visas who are prohibited from leaving, as they are usually not detained and do not meet the US State Department’s definition of “wrongful detention.”
(This article references reports from The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal)