The case comes around the same time a Japanese pharmaceutical executive was imprisoned, adding to growing unease even as Beijing tries to court overseas investors.

Wells Fargo has suspended all travel to China after a banker was blocked from leaving the country, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday, causing broader anxiety about the risks of travel in the country.

China has prevented a Wells Fargo banker from leaving the country, the American bank said, adding to concerns about travel there as tensions with Washington remain high. A Wells Fargo spokesperson said the bank was “closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible”.