New rules for US staff in China: Love banned with locals
The US government has prohibited American government employees in China from engaging in any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens, reports AP. This ban also extends to the families of these employees.
What do you need to know?
- American government employees in China and their families are not permitted to establish romantic relationships with Chinese citizens.
- A confidential directive was introduced in January by the outgoing U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns.
- Violation of the ban will lead to immediate expulsion from China.
Last summer, Ambassador Burns introduced initial restrictions, which included a ban on relationships with Chinese citizens employed as guards or in other roles at the U.S. embassy and consulates in Shanghai, Wuhan, Shenyang, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. The new policy does not apply to U.S. personnel stationed outside of China.
The only exception to this rule is for government employees who had previously established relationships with Chinese nationals. They may apply for an exemption from this restriction, but they will have to end the relationship or resign if their request is denied. According to sources referenced by the Associated Press, individuals who break this ban will be promptly expelled from China.
US guidelines: The ban on relationships was already in place
Before Burns imposed the ban, American personnel in China were required to report any intimate contacts with Chinese nationals. According to AP, the State Department and other government agencies with offices in China have long maintained strict requirements regarding the reporting of personal relationships of stationed personnel, including those with Russians and Cubans, who pose a significant intelligence threat.
The ban on friendly and romantic relationships was already in effect during the Cold War for American personnel stationed in Soviet bloc countries and China. It was intended to be relaxed after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
American diplomats and intelligence experts assert that Beijing aggressively employs various methods to gain access to American government secrets, writes AP. Prior to traveling to China, US personnel are briefed about instances where Chinese intelligence services have sent attractive women to seduce American diplomats. Employees are also warned that "dozens of Chinese security agents may be assigned to monitor" their activities.
