JAKARTA - The United States State Department said on Monday the Chinese government had blocked an employee of the US Patent and Trademark Office visiting the Asian country in a personal capacity.
"We are monitoring the case very closely and working with Chinese officials to resolve this situation as quickly as possible," a State Department spokesman said.
The Washington Post reported on Sunday that a US citizen working for the Commerce Department had traveled to China a few months ago to visit his family.
The man was prevented from leaving the Bamboo Curtain country after he did not disclose in his visa application working for the US Government, the newspaper said, citing sources.
Washington and Beijing have been at loggerheads for years over various issues, from rates to the origins of COVID-19 and Taiwan.
Previously, Chenyue Mao, banker Wells Fargo has also been blocked from leaving China. Beijing's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday he was involved in a criminal case and was obliged to cooperate in an investigation.
Mao is the latest executive of several foreign companies to be prevented when they try to leave China.
The US bank suspended all employee trips to China after Mao's exit ban, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters last week, adding Mao was a US citizen.
It is known that the US Patent Office and Trademark are part of the federal Commerce Department.
The name of the US government employee was not disclosed, nor did it explain whether he was detained or not.
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The Chinese Embassy in Washington and the US Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Beijing has used an exit ban for Chinese and foreign nationals over civil disputes, regulatory enforcement, and criminal investigations.
Analysts say this tactic is sometimes used to crack down on local dissent and also as a diplomatic influence in disputes with other countries.
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