Two U.S. citizens, a Department of Commerce employee and a Wells Fargo banker, have been restricted from leaving China. “We can confirm that a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee, while traveling to China in a personal capacity,

Two American citizens—a US Department of Commerce employee and a Wells Fargo banker—have been barred from leaving China, highlighting rising tensions and mounting risks for foreigners as Washington and Beijing edge toward a critical trade deadline.

An Atlanta-based banker working for Wells Fargo has been prevented from leaving China, the latest incident that threatens to amplify concerns among Western executives about the potential consequences of visiting the world’s second-biggest economy.