The Chinese government is preventing a Wells Fargo employee, as well as an employee of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, from leaving the country. File Photo by Larry W. Smith/EPA-EFE
July 20 (UPI) — The Chinese government is preventing a Chinese American banker for Wells Fargo and, separately, an employee of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from leaving the country, reports said Sunday.
The identity of the detained U.S. government employee was not known to the Washington Post, which first reported the news. Mao Chenyue, the managing director of Wells Fargo Credit Solutions, was confirmed as the bank employee facing the exit ban by the company in statements to The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
People familiar with the Patent and Trademark Office employee’s case told the Washington Post that he traveled to China to visit family but allegedly failed to disclose on his visa application that he worked for the government.
Wells Fargo has since reportedly suspended travel by its executives to China, noting in its statement to The New York Times that the company is tracking the situation and working “through the appropriate channels” to ensure their employee is returned.
The company did not provide any details as to why Mao was prevented from leaving the country but noted that she has not been detained in China and is free to move about the country.
“We have raised our concern with Chinese authorities about the impact arbitrary exit bans on U.S. citizens have on our bilateral relations and urged them to immediately allow impacted U.S. citizens to return home,” said a U.S. Embassy in Beijing spokesperson.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman was asked about Mao’s exit ban on Friday but said he was not aware of it.
Her LinkedIn account, reviewed by UPI, shows that she was active on social media as recently as two weeks ago when she thanked people for congratulatory messages on her recent election as chairman of FCI.