China confirms US bank employee exit ban over 'criminal case'

Beijing confirmed Monday that an employee of US bank Wells Fargo was barred from leaving China, following reports last week that Shanghai-born managing director Chenyue Mao was under an exit ban.

The bank told AFP last week that it was providing assistance to Mao, who had entered China in recent weeks but was now unable to leave.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that Mao was "involved in a criminal case currently being investigated by the Chinese authorities", without giving details of her alleged offence.

"The Chinese law enforcement agencies have imposed exit restrictions in accordance with the law," Guo said.

He added that Mao "cannot leave the country while the case is ongoing, and has an obligation to cooperate with the work of investigators".

In a statement to AFP on Friday, Wells Fargo said it was "closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible".

Guo said Mao's was an "individual case" and that China would "continue as ever to welcome people from every country to travel and do business here".

"No matter whether you are Chinese or not, you must follow Chinese laws while in China," he said.