The United States prohibits Chinese government personnel from romance or sexual relations with Chinese citizens

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Associated Press learned that the U.S. government has banned U.S. government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors in any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens.

Four people with direct knowledge of the matter told the Associated Press about the policy, which took effect through his departure from U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns shortly before he left China. People will only speak in anonymous condition, discussing the details of the confidential new directive.

Although some American institutions already have strict regulations on such relationships, it is well known that the unheard of “non-exchange” policies have been public since the Cold War. It is not uncommon for American diplomats in other countries to marry locals.

Last summer, a more limited version of the policy was formulated to ban American personnel from “romance and sexual relations”, with Chinese citizens serving as guards and other support staff at the U.S. Embassy and at five Chinese consulates. But outgoing ambassador Burns expanded it to a ban on such relations with any Chinese citizen in January, days before taking office with President Donald Trump. The Associated Press cannot determine exactly how the policy defines the term “romantic or sexual relationship.”

Two people with knowledge bans told the Associated Press that the new policy was first discussed last summer after Congressman contacted Burns to say restrictions on the relationship were not strict enough. The Chinese Communist Party’s House Choice Committee did not respond to a request for comment.

The new policy covers U.S. missions in mainland China, including the Beijing Embassy and consulates in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xueyang and Wuhan, as well as the U.S. consulates in the semi-autonomous territory of Hong Kong. It is not suitable for American personnel outside China.

The only exception to this policy is that American personnel have a relationship with Chinese citizens; they can apply for exemptions. People say that if the exemption is rejected, they must end the relationship or leave their position. Anyone who violates this policy will be ordered to leave China immediately.

The policy was communicated verbally and electronically to Chinese American personnel in January, but has not been announced publicly.

The State Council said it does not comment on internal affairs. The National Security Commission forwards the issue to the State Council. Former ambassador Burns did not respond to an AP request from the email address sent to him by the Cohen Group, which rejoined the vice-chairman in February.

The Cold War’s Regression

During the Cold War, intelligence services around the world have long used attractive men and women to obtain sensitive information. The State Department and other agencies with offices in China have long had relationships with American personnel stationed there and are considered competitors to high intelligence threats such as Russia or Cuba.

Declassified State Department documents show that in 1987, the U.S. government prohibited personnel from communicating with locals, dating or having sex with locals, which was attracted by Soviet spies. According to news reports at the time, the restrictions were relaxed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In China, the ban on such relations has not been in effect for many years. Before the new ban in January, U.S. personnel in China must report any close contact with Chinese citizens to Chinese citizens, but are not explicitly prohibited for sexual or romantic relationships.

US diplomats and intelligence experts say Beijing continues to actively use so-called honeypots to obtain U.S. secrets. In a previous speech in the country, U.S. personnel would present a case study of China’s intelligence service sending attractive women to seduce American diplomats, warning that dozens of Chinese national security personnel could be assigned to monitor any interested individual diplomat.

Very little is known about the U.S. government’s non-communication policies elsewhere, as they are considered categorical. Restrictive restrictions in other countries are not yet known.

Tensions rise, tighter control

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have escalated in trade, technology and geopolitical competition in recent years.

Peter Mattis, a former CIA analyst and president of the Jamestown Foundation, a Washington-based think tank, said that although he hasn’t heard of such cases in recent years, there are at least two public cases where Chinese agents lure U.S. diplomats to station in China.

Another problem, Mattis added, is that China’s national security does not only collect intelligence through spies, but also puts pressure on ordinary Chinese people to obtain information by threatening or intimidating. Mattis said this means that any Chinese citizen who dates American diplomats may be vulnerable to coercion.

“MSS is willing to take advantage of any relationships that the target has to collect intelligence,” Mattis said. “The change in this rule shows that MSS has become more active in trying to get into the embassy and the U.S. government.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not comment on the ban, and he said in a fax statement that “it is more appropriate to ask the United States for this question.”

According to Chinese regulations, news reports and four people familiar with Chinese bureaucracy, who are still unnamed, have been strictly controlling the strict control of its overseas personnel, so they can discuss a sensitive topic. In recent years, Beijing has begun to strictly enforce regulations that prohibit the provision of Chinese civil servants with spouses who have obtained foreign citizenship as spouses and restrict diplomats from spending long periods in a country, forcing some to return to China.

China’s foreign ministry and many other government agencies prohibit sexual or romantic relations between its officials and employees and foreign citizens, while members of the Chinese military or police are often prohibited from leaving China entirely without the explicit approval of its supervisor.

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Kang reported to Beijing.