Latest news with #Shanghai-born
NDTV
13 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
US Bank Employee Barred From Leaving China Over Alleged Criminal Probe
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. After multiple media reports, Wells Fargo confirmed last week that it was providing assistance to the Atlanta-based Mao, who entered China in recent weeks but is 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". "The Chinese law enforcement agencies have imposed exit restrictions in accordance with the law," Guo said. He did not give details of Mao's alleged offences, and Wells Fargo has not provided more information on her case. But the San Francisco-based bank is now restricting its employees from visiting China following this case, according to reports. It said in a statement to AFP on Friday that 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". Wells Fargo declined to comment on China's foreign ministry saying that Mao was involved in a criminal case, when contacted by AFP. Guo said Mao "cannot leave the country while the case is ongoing, and has an obligation to cooperate with the work of investigators". He stressed that it 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. - Tensions and detentions - Industry groups say multinational firms have faced an increasingly difficult business environment in recent years, citing a lack of transparency on data laws and prolonged detentions of employees in the country. The trend has coincided with growing tensions between Beijing and certain Western nations, particularly the United States but also regional competitors. The Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing four unnamed sources, that an employee at the US Commerce Department was being prevented from leaving China after failing to declare on his visa application that he worked for the American government. The unnamed Chinese American man, who works for the Patent and Trademark Office, had travelled to China several months ago to visit family, the newspaper reported. Asked about the report on Monday, Guo said he was not familiar with the case. On Wednesday, a Chinese court sentenced a Japanese businessman from pharmaceutical company Astellas to three and a half years in prison for spying. Another pharma giant, UK-headquartered AstraZeneca, said in November that the head of its China operations, Leon Wang, had been detained, after reports that the firm was under investigation for potentially illegal data collection and drug imports. And in 2023, a senior executive at US risk advisory firm Kroll was prohibited from leaving China, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Sun
16 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
US bank employee barred from leaving China in criminal case
BEIJING: China has confirmed an exit ban on a US bank employee involved in an ongoing criminal investigation. Wells Fargo managing director Chenyue Mao, a Shanghai-born executive based in Atlanta, is restricted from leaving the country while authorities probe the case. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated Mao is 'involved in a criminal case currently being investigated by the Chinese authorities.' He added, 'The Chinese law enforcement agencies have imposed exit restrictions in accordance with the law.' No further details about the alleged offences were disclosed. Wells Fargo acknowledged the situation, saying 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.' Reports indicate the bank has now restricted employee travel to China following the incident. Guo emphasised that Mao 'cannot leave the country while the case is ongoing, and has an obligation to cooperate with the work of investigators.' He called it an 'individual case' and reiterated China's openness to foreign business, stating, 'No matter whether you are Chinese or not, you must follow Chinese laws while in China.' The case adds to growing concerns among multinational firms about China's business climate. Industry groups cite unclear data laws and prolonged detentions as key challenges. Tensions between Beijing and Western nations, particularly the US, have intensified in recent years. Separately, The Washington Post reported a US Commerce Department employee was also barred from leaving China after failing to disclose his government role on a visa application. The Chinese American man, from the Patent and Trademark Office, had visited family months earlier. Guo said he was unaware of the case. Recent incidents include a Japanese Astellas Pharma executive sentenced for espionage and AstraZeneca's China head detained over alleged illegal data practices. In 2023, a Kroll executive faced similar travel restrictions, highlighting risks for foreign professionals in China. - AFP
HKFP
19 hours ago
- Business
- HKFP
China confirms US bank employee banned from leaving 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. After multiple media reports, Wells Fargo confirmed last week that it was providing assistance to the Atlanta-based Mao, who entered China in recent weeks but is 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'. 'The Chinese law enforcement agencies have imposed exit restrictions in accordance with the law,' Guo said. He did not give details of Mao's alleged offences, and Wells Fargo has not provided more information on her case. But the San Francisco-based bank is now restricting its employees from visiting China following this case, according to reports. It said in a statement to AFP on Friday that 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 'cannot leave the country while the case is ongoing, and has an obligation to cooperate with the work of investigators'. He stressed that it 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. Tensions and detentions Industry groups say multinational firms have faced an increasingly difficult business environment in recent years, citing a lack of transparency on data laws and prolonged detentions of employees in the country. The trend has coincided with growing tensions between Beijing and certain Western nations, particularly the United States but also regional competitors. The Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing four unnamed sources, that an employee at the US Commerce Department was being prevented from leaving China after failing to declare on his visa application that he worked for the American government. The unnamed Chinese American man, who works for the Patent and Trademark Office, had travelled to China several months ago to visit family, the newspaper reported. Asked about the report on Monday, Guo said he was not familiar with the case. On Wednesday, a Chinese court sentenced a Japanese businessman from pharmaceutical company Astellas to three and a half years in prison for spying. Another pharma giant, UK-headquartered AstraZeneca, said in November that the head of its China operations, Leon Wang, had been detained, after reports that the firm was under investigation for potentially illegal data collection and drug imports. And in 2023, a senior executive at US risk advisory firm Kroll was prohibited from leaving China, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
China imposes "exit ban" on Wells Fargo executive, reports say
Wells Fargo has reportedly suspended business travel to China after one of its executives was barred from leaving the country. Why it matters: The episode could renew concerns among businesses about sending executives to China amid international tensions. Zoom in: Chenyue Mao, a Shanghai-born managing director in Wells Fargo's credit solutions division, was "blocked from leaving China after traveling there recently," WSJ first reported. The so-called "exit ban" prompted Wells Fargo to bar employees from heading to China until further notice, Reuters and FT reported. "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 Friday in a statement. The big picture: "The case underscores multinational companies' fears about the risks of operating in China, especially in regard to staff safety and restrictions on movement," Bloomberg reported. "It could also further discourage corporate travel to the country and ratchet up tension between the world's two largest economies as they seek to hammer out a trade deal." Between the lines: "The vast majority of exit bans aren't imposed on people accused of crimes," WSJ reported. "Most bans have been slapped on people involved in civil litigations such as business disputes." They can last months or years as investigations unfold. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman told WSJ he wasn't aware of the situation: "For anyone in China, whether Chinese or foreign, they need to abide by Chinese law."
Online Citizen
23-05-2025
- Online Citizen
Six men to be charged in separate child sexual exploitation cases in Singapore
SINGAPORE: ix men will be charged in court on 23 May 2025 for alleged involvement in various child sexual exploitation offences. The men, aged between 22 and 41, were arrested in separate incidents, according to a police statement issued on 22 May. The suspects were apprehended by officers from the specialised crime branch of the Criminal Investigation Department. Their alleged offences include engaging minors for sex and possessing child sexual abuse material. One of the accused, aged 37, is alleged to have engaged a young female victim for sex after befriending her online. He reportedly performed sexual acts on the girl and was arrested on 25 March 2025. He faces one count of commercial sex with a minor under 18 and another count for communicating with a minor under 18 for the purpose of obtaining sexual services. In another case, a 25-year-old man was arrested on 5 July 2024 for allegedly engaging a young girl for commercial sex. He had also made contact with the minor through online means. He is expected to be charged with eight counts of sexual penetration of a minor under 16. A separate incident involved a 22-year-old man arrested on 5 March 2024. He allegedly possessed child sexual abuse material and obscene films found on his mobile phone and computer. He will face one count each for possession of child abuse material and possession of obscene films. Additionally, three men aged 30, 35 and 41 were arrested on 14 March 2023, 18 March 2024, and 22 March 2023 respectively. All three allegedly possessed child sexual abuse material stored on mobile phones, storage devices and computers. Each will be charged with one count of possession of child abuse material. In the statement, the police stressed their zero-tolerance stance on such crimes, stating: 'The police take a serious view of child sexual exploitation and abuse and will spare no effort to protect children from such harm.' Under Singapore law, individuals convicted of having sex with minors aged 14 to 16 may be jailed for up to 10 years, and may also be fined or caned. Engaging the sexual services of a person below 18 can result in up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine, or both. Possessing or accessing child abuse material carries a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment, and may also include a fine or caning. Possession of obscene films is punishable with up to six months' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$20,000, or both. Separately, on 19 May, Ian Fang, a 35-year-old former Mediacorp actor educated in Singapore, was sentenced to 40 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to sexual offences involving a minor under the age of 16. The Shanghai-born permanent resident (PR) committed the offences in 2024 while employed as an acting instructor at a child modelling school catering to students aged four to 14. He met the victim earlier that year at an entertainment event. A gag order remains in place to protect the identity of the victim. On 21 May, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) stated that it is reviewing Fang's PR status following his conviction for serious sexual offences.
