US says Department of Commerce employee subjected to exit ban in China

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department said on Monday a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee who was traveling to China in a personal capacity was subjected to an exit ban in the Asian country.

“We can confirm that a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee, while traveling to China in a personal capacity, was made subject to an exit ban in China. We are tracking this case very closely and are engaged with Chinese officials to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” a State Department spokesperson said.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is part of the federal Department of Commerce.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese)