The United States generally provides briefings to its officials before posting them in China on case studies showing how Chinese intelligence services sent attractive women to seduce American diplomats.
The US government has banned American government personnel posted in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from having any romantic or sexual relationship with Chinese citizens, according to news agency AP. The ban was put into effect by departing US Ambassador Nicholas Burns in January, shortly before he left China, four people close to the matter say on the condition of anonymity. While some US agencies have been known for having strict rules on such relationships, a blanket “non-fraternisation” policy has been largely unheard of publicly since the Cold War. Notably, it is not uncommon for American diplomats in other countries to date locals and even marry them.
Earlier, a limited version of the policy was enacted last summer, which prohibited US personnel from “romantic and sexual relations” with Chinese citizens working as guards and other support staff at the US Embassy and five consulates in China.
Ban to cover following US embassy, consulates in China
Days before President Trump took office, Burns, the departing ambassador, broadened the regulations to a blanket ban on such relations with any Chinese citizen in China in January.
The new policy is slated to cover US missions in mainland China, including the Beijing embassy and consulates in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang and Wuhan. The ban will also impact the American consulate in the semi-autonomous territory of Hong Kong.
The policy, however, exempts US personnel with pre-existing relations with Chinese citizens, and they can apply for exemptions. In case the exemptions are denied, the concerned personnel will be required to end the relationship or leave their position, AP reports.
The American personnel working in China were informed of the policy verbally and electronically in January, while the public announcement is still awaited.
Until the new ban in January, US personnel in China were required to report any intimate contact with Chinese citizens to their supervisors but were not explicitly forbidden from sexual or romantic relationships.
Probable reasons behind latest ban
According to declassified State Department documents, the US government barred personnel stationed in the Soviet bloc and China from befriending, dating or having sex with locals in 1987 after a US Marine in Moscow was seduced by a Soviet spy.
Intelligence services across the world have for long been using attractive men and women to obtain sensitive information, which was most common during the Cold War.
The State Department and other agencies with offices in China have long had stringent reporting requirements on personal relationships for American personnel stationed there, as well as rivals considered high intelligence threats such as Russia or Cuba.
US diplomats and intelligence experts say that Beijing continues to aggressively use so-called honeypots to access American secrets.
Prior to their postings, the US government officials are briefed on case studies where Chinese intelligence services sent attractive women to seduce American diplomats. They are also infomed that dozens of Chinese state security agents can be assigned to monitor any individual diplomat of interest.
(With inputs from AP)
