China Blocks US-Based Wells Fargo Executive from Leaving the Country
A Wells Fargo executive who was born in Shanghai and works in Atlanta has been detained in China for reasons unknown.
Chenyue Mao, a managing director at Wells Fargo, has been banned from leaving the country, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources it did not name.
It was not known when she arrived in China or why she was there.
Wells Fargo said it is “closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible.”
Mao specializes in a segment of international trade called factoring, in which companies in one country sell unpaid invoices from companies in another country to third parties, who collect the money owed.
🚨🚨🚨 Shanghai-born and Atlanta-based Chenyue Mao, a Wells Fargo managing director who works in trade financing, has been blocked from leaving China after traveling there recently.
Mao was subjected to an exit ban after she entered China sometime in recent weeks. An automated… pic.twitter.com/CwuuUWIFqZ
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) July 17, 2025
A Chinese Foreign Ministry representative, asked about Mao’s exit ban, said, “For anyone in China, whether Chinese or foreign, they need to abide by Chinese law.”
“The Chinese government has, for many years, imposed exit bans on U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals in China, often without a clear and transparent judicial process for resolution. We monitor exit ban cases that are brought to our attention and provide appropriate consular assistance,” a representative of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said.
Exit bans can be imposed for any number of reasons, from business disputes to criminal investigations.
Wells Fargo suspended all travel to China after Mao was banned from leaving, The Wall Street Journal reported.
A report from Reuters said the ban has ripple effects on other companies.
“Such stories can raise concerns of foreign businesses regarding travel to China,” Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, said.
“At a time when China is proactively trying to attract foreign investment it sends something of a mixed signal,” Eskelund added.
Wells Fargo has suspended all travel to China after the incident, people familiar with the situation said.
Although Mao was born in Shanghai, she is an American citizen, Reuters reported.
The Dui Hua Foundation, which advocates for the freedom of political prisoners, estimates about 200 Americans in China are either wrongfully detained or banned from leaving the country.
In November, the State Department updated its travel advisory for China to reflect the situation.
“Exercise increased caution when traveling to Mainland China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans,” the advisory said.
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