US government employees in China, their family members and other personnel with security clearances are now prohibited from entering into romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens. According to the Associated Press, this measure was implemented by Nicholas Burns, the US Ambassador to China, just before he left his post in January 2025.
The directive affects employees of the US diplomatic missions in mainland China, specifically the embassy in Beijing and the consulates in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan and the US Consulate in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Diplomatic employees who already have existing relationships with Chinese citizens can seek an exemption, the AP report states. However, if an exemption is denied, the individual must end the relationship or leave their position. Additionally, anyone who violates the ban must leave China immediately.
Although some US government agencies have had strict rules in place for a long time, such comprehensive measures are not typical since the Cold War. A limited version of the ban was introduced in the summer, applying to US citizens who worked as guards or support staff in US missions and were prohibited from having romantic relationships with Chinese people.
In January 2025, Ambassador Burns expanded the ban to all Chinese citizens. The new measure was communicated verbally and via email, with no public announcement made.
Various US government agencies with overseas offices have always had strict requirements for their personnel regarding their personal relationships, especially during the Cold War era. For example, the AP recalls that in 1987, Washington prohibited US employees in China and Eastern Bloc countries from befriending locals, going out with them, or engaging in sexual activities, after a US Marine was seduced by a Soviet spy in Moscow. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, such restrictions were significantly relaxed.