Chenyue Mao, a large Wells Fargo managing director, treads on her own exit ban in China right now. RFID Ban This ban is the product of a narrow criminal case being prosecuted by Chinese law enforcement authorities. Photo by @ECJTu on Unsplash Mao has spent more than 13 years working at the bank. Now, he is effectively a prisoner who cannot leave that country, raising fears of a deepening U.S.-China rift. The situation was disclosed during a press briefing in Beijing on Monday by Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese government.
Mao’s LinkedIn page corroborates her long career with Wells Fargo, which has operated in China since 2005. The bank’s operations include branches in Shanghai and Beijing. As a result of the unexpected exit ban on Mao, Wells Fargo has chosen to immediately halt travel to China for all employees. This decision is an indication of how international companies operating in the region are increasingly on edge.
At the close of the press briefing, Guo delivered an incisive point. First, he said—correctly—everyone in China, Chinese citizens and foreigners alike, must abide by Chinese laws. As for Chenyue Mao, Fadul said she “does have the duty to cooperate with the investigation” regarding her case. Guo is undeniably a party to an ongoing criminal case, which Chinese law enforcement authorities are actively pursuing. In turn, she is subject to these exit restrictions required by the law.
The U.S. Embassy in Shanghai is outraged by Mao’s treatment. Protecting the safety and security of American citizens while they are abroad is their very highest priority. The embassy’s agential participation provides a surprising window into the potential harms of the exit ban. This happens at a moment of growing diplomatic tensions between China and the United States. Trump’s trade disputes—most notably, tariffs on imports—intensified these tensions. Consequently, U.S.-China business relations have soured.
As Guo told everyone, China will, as always, welcome people from all countries to visit China for tourism and business. Mao stressed that her exit ban does not indicate a broader policy shift in relation to foreign visitors. The specifics of her case reveal many of the challenges that have not gone away in international relations.