In a concerning development, Chinese intelligence officers have imposed an "exit ban" on a U.S. Commerce Department employee, preventing him from leaving China since mid-April. This situation escalated when officers from the Ministry of State Security questioned the American about his previous military service while he was in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.
During this interrogation, the man's passport, credit card, cellphone, and iPad were seized. After a brief return of the passport, he was told he could not exit the country. His wife remains in the U.S., intensifying his distress as U.S. officials are actively seeking to address his situation.
The details come from a State Department cable, which also indicates that this case sheds light on China's controversial practice of using exit bans to exert pressure on foreign individuals. This information became public over the weekend after American news outlets reported on his case, underscoring rising tensions between the U.S. and China in the realm of diplomacy and personal security.
