Beijing blocked a U.S. federal employee from leaving China after they traveled to the country in a personal capacity, the State Department confirmed Tuesday. The employee, who works for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO),

A U.S. government employee has been banned from leaving China after traveling there in a personal capacity, the State Department said Tuesday, marking the latest case where Beijing has stopped U.S. nationals from departing the country.

The U.S. State Department said on Monday that the Chinese government had blocked a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee visiting the Asian country in a personal capacity from leaving.