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The United States has confirmed that the Chinese government has imposed an exit ban on a US federal employee, preventing the individual from leaving China.

Getting into it: According to the State Department, the US government employee who works for the US Patent and Trademark Office was placed under an exit ban by Chinese authorities after traveling to China months ago in a personal capacity. The employee, a naturalized US citizen, reportedly failed to disclose their government affiliation on their visa application. Although the individual’s identity has not been made public and no formal charges have been announced, the case has drawn attention from top US officials.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed that the agency is “tracking this case very closely” and emphasized that ensuring the safety and security of American citizens abroad remains a top priority. Despite multiple inquiries, the Chinese government has declined to offer specific information about the case. When asked by reporters, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said he had “no details to share” but maintained that China “upholds the rule of law” and handles such matters “in accordance with the law.”

The vague response has done little to ease concerns in the US, where lawmakers view the incident as part of a broader pattern of politically sensitive detentions and exit bans. Last week, another US citizen, Chenyue Mao, a senior banker with Wells Fargo, was barred from leaving China. Mao, who had traveled to the country in recent weeks, is now reportedly involved in a criminal investigation, according to Chinese officials.

Wells Fargo has since responded to the incident by suspending all employee travel to China.