The Chinese government has placed an exit ban on US federal employee Cynthia Liu. Her father, Victor Liu, who is personally impacted by this decision, welcomes this important breakthrough amid escalating diplomatic pressure. The US State Department has verified that both men are subject to this limitation. There are no allegations of criminal wrongdoing on their part, but the restriction is just as binding. This arrest would be the first time a US government employee would face the consequences of such a ban.
Exit bans have recently emerged as a prominent weapon of the Chinese government, increasingly used against activists, journalists, and foreign correspondents. These restrictions can be from a wide range of problems, from the criminal justice system to outstanding civil lawsuits. They act as a form of leverage in diplomatic disagreements. Cynthia Liu and Victor Liu are caught in a web of confusion that may be more tangled than most. Their father, Liu Changming, is wanted in China to face major fraud charges. Liu Changming, a former bank official, has been listed as a fugitive since the early 2000s.
Stories suggest that Cynthia Liu and Victor Liu find themselves trapped by a tangle of legal and diplomatic intricacies. The US State Department is working hard with Chinese officials to return them to the mainland as soon as possible. A department spokesperson confirmed that this is an active case, which they are following very closely. They are in daily communication with Chinese officials to get this resolved ASAP.
Under Xi Jinping, who took power in late 2012, the use of exit bans has ballooned. This worrisome development was recently documented in a 2023 report by Safeguard Defenders. Chenyue Mao, a Wells Fargo banker, encountered such limitations. That was exactly what occurred when she found herself wrapped up in her own criminal indictment. Guo Jiakun, the official spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters on Wednesday that Mao is under investigation. As a consequence, she is subject to exit restrictions under Chinese law.
Though the ban on the Liu family is tragic, it raises critical questions. It would sour US-China relations and establish a worrying precedent for using such punitive measures against foreign nationals. In 2019, two American siblings were finally able to come home after being stuck in China for three years due to an exit ban. In their experience, they describe just how unpredictable these restrictions can be.
Information about Cynthia Liu and Victor Liu’s case remains scant. Guo Jiakun, one of their lawyers, has very publicly and repeatedly insisted that he knows nothing of their situation to leak. Foreign nationals in China are becoming more vulnerable to legal troubles every day. This unfortunate scenario underscores the importance of sustained, vigorous diplomacy.