Thinking About China
Opinion

Strategic Detention: China’s Exit Bans as Instruments of Leverage and Control

Professionals with dual nationality, sensitive expertise, or family ties inside China occupy a dangerous nexus—one where technical knowledge meets political sus
Strategic Detention: China’s Exit Bans as Instruments of Leverage and Control
A customer leaves a Wells Fargo bank office in San Rafael, Calif., on April 11, 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Charles Davis
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Commentary

The June 2025 exit ban imposed on U.S. citizen and Wells Fargo executive Mao Chenyue is garnering significant international attention. Global institutions are now, more than ever, concerned for their employees due to China’s evolving use of travel restrictions as geopolitical leverage.

Charles Davis
Charles Davis
Author
Charles Davis is a military veteran and lecturer with an intelligence background. His military awards include: two Bronze Star Service Medals, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, NATO Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Saudi Arabia Liberation Medal, and Kuwait Liberation Medal.