China bars U.S. patent official from leaving country

The U.S. State Department says Beijing has blocked a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee who was visiting relatives in China from leaving the country, prompting high-level talks to secure the official’s return.

The unnamed civil servant, described as travelling “in a personal capacity,” became subject to an exit ban several months ago, the State Department confirmed on Monday.

“We are tracking this case very closely and are engaged with Chinese officials to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson said.

The Washington Post reported that Chinese border officers halted the man after discovering he had not declared his U.S. government job on his visa application. Neither the U.S. Commerce Department—of which the patent office is a part—nor the Chinese embassy in Washington responded to requests for comment.

Beijing has increasingly used exit bans against both Chinese citizens and foreigners in civil, regulatory and criminal investigations. Rights group Safeguard Defenders says more than 120 foreign nationals were barred from leaving China between 2018 and 2023, though precise figures are difficult to verify.

In a separate case, Wells Fargo banker Chenyue Mao—a U.S. citizen—was stopped from boarding a flight last week. China’s foreign ministry said on Monday that she “must cooperate with a criminal inquiry.” The U.S. bank has suspended all staff travel to China pending clarification, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The latest exit bans come as Washington and Beijing try to steady relations strained by trade tariffs, the origins of COVID-19 and tensions over Taiwan.

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