The U.S. government employee has faced interrogation and surveillance by Chinese intelligence, reflecting growing tensions in U.S.-China relations.**
U.S. Commerce Employee Detained by China Amid Surveillance and Exit Ban**
U.S. Commerce Employee Detained by China Amid Surveillance and Exit Ban**
An American citizen working for the Commerce Department has been barred from leaving China, raising concerns over espionage and diplomatic tensions.**
Chinese intelligence officials have ensnared a U.S. Commerce Department employee in a web of surveillance and restrictions, preventing the American citizen from leaving China since mid-April. The individual, who was reportedly interrogated about his military service while visiting family in Chengdu, found himself under the scrutiny of the Ministry of State Security—China's primary intelligence agency.
According to a U.S. State Department cable, obtained by The New York Times, the Commerce employee faced significant obstacles, including the confiscation of his passport, credit card, cellphone, and iPad on April 14. Although his passport was returned a week later, he was explicitly told by Chinese authorities that he could not leave the country. His wife is currently in the United States, exacerbating the distress of his situation.
The alarm about the escalating tensions surrounding this case was raised recently, drawing attention to the often opaque practices employed by China, including what is known as an "exit ban." This method has been used for years as a tool for coercion, particularly targeting individuals with potential intelligence or diplomatic value.
U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of the National Security Council, were informed of the case shortly after the initial interrogation. The cable dated May 2 reveals the ongoing efforts by American diplomats to facilitate the employee's safe return from Chengdu to Beijing, even as Chinese agents continued to surveil him closely.
The situation underscores the complexities of U.S.-China relations and highlights a pattern of detaining foreign nationals as a means of influencing diplomatic negotiations. As more details emerge about this case, it raises important questions about international law, human rights, and the risks faced by American citizens abroad.
