(Reuters) -A U.S.-based Wells Fargo banker who works in trade financing has been blocked from leaving China after traveling there recently, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
Chenyue Mao was subjected to an exit ban after she entered China sometime in recent weeks, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
The U.S. banking giant has suspended all travel to China following Mao’s exit ban, according to the report. Reuters was unable to independently verify the suspension.
“We are closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible,” Wells Fargo said in a statement emailed to Reuters.
Mao was born in Shanghai and is based in Atlanta, according to a June 2025 release from FCI, where she serves as chairwoman.
She has been a banker at Wells Fargo for over a decade, according to her LinkedIn profile. She currently serves as a managing director at the lender and spearheads its international factoring business, as well as advising multinational clients on cross-border working-capital strategies.
The Wall Street Journal reported that it could not be determined precisely when Mao entered China, or what prompted the travel restriction.
Beijing has increasingly used exit bans on both Chinese and foreign nationals, often in connection with civil disputes, regulatory investigations or criminal probes.
Many affected individuals are unaware of the restrictions until they attempt to leave the country.
(Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)
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