In Global Guardian's "Your Questions Answered" series, our experts address pressing questions on current events, providing insight and analysis on the issues that impact your personal safety, business operations, and travel security.
Read below for insights from our analysts and subject matter experts, and get in touch with our team for further support and guidance.
This week’s question
July 24, 2025
In light of the recent exit ban placed on a Wells Fargo employee in China—reportedly to assist in a criminal investigation—what is your assessment of this situation? Do you see this as part of a broader pattern where China may be using exit bans or detentions as leverage amid rising U.S.–China trade tensions? And should multinational firms be reevaluating the risks of sending personnel to China?”Global Guardian’s response
Provided by: Zev Faintuch, Head of Research and Intelligence
Since China’s anti-espionage law came into effect in 2023, this kind of risk has been very real. While we don’t know exactly how many individuals have been impacted, it’s believed to be in the dozens.
Since the law’s enactment, we’ve consistently advised that U.S. government employees, dual nationals, or anyone with a background in the defense industry—or who has done contracting work for the U.S. government, especially in the security space—should avoid travel to China. The risk is ongoing and likely to persist, particularly as trade negotiations between the U.S. and China remain heated. Unfortunately, China has a well-documented history of using individuals as bargaining chips—essentially hostages—to gain leverage in broader geopolitical disputes.
That said, this doesn’t mean no one should travel to China. But if you fall into one of those higher-risk categories, we strongly recommend against it.
Additionally, if you are going to China, you should operate under the assumption that all communications are being monitored. VPNs are illegal and using one could result in arrest or an exit ban, what some might call arbitrary detention. In effect, there is zero data privacy. So we advise travelers to use burner phones and burner laptops, and ideally avoid connecting to any cloud-based systems. The MSS (Ministry of State Security) has the capability to access that information, which means that any login credentials, trade secrets or other forms of intellectual property could be compromised. If protecting your IP is a concern, you need to enter China with a completely clean digital footprint.
Key Takeaways
- China’s exit bans and detentions pose a serious risk to dual nationals and individuals with U.S. government, defense, or security ties—travel for these groups is strongly discouraged.
- Travelers to China should assume zero data privacy. Use burner devices and avoid accessing sensitive cloud systems to prevent potential IP theft.
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