Another one bites the dust: US fires diplomat over concealing romantic relationship with Chinese national
&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Another one bites the dust: US fires diplomat over concealing romantic relationship with Chinese national")
For representational purpose only Photograph: (Others)
A State department employee was fired for hiding a romantic relationship with a Chinese national with known Communist Party ties, under a new Trump-era policy
The US State Department announced on Wednesday (October 8) that it had fired a Foreign Service officer for failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a Chinese national who had connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Tommy Pigott, a spokesperson for the department, confirmed the firing, saying that the officer admitted to hiding the relationship. "The State Department has officially terminated the employment of aForeign Service officer who admitted concealing a romantic relationship with a Chinese national with known ties to the Chinese Communist Party," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott was quoted as saying.
While the individual in question did not provide concrete evidence of espionage, he did express concerns on video, suggesting that his partner could have been a spy. He also acknowledged that her father was directly involved with the CCP. The department’s decision marks the first instance of an employee being terminated under a Trump-era executive order, which mandates that all government personnel uphold and implement the president's policies.
“We will maintain a zero-tolerance policy for anyone whose actions threaten national security,” Pigott emphasised. Earlier this year, the US imposed restrictions on American diplomats in China, barring them from entering romantic relationships with local nationals—a rare measure reminiscent of Cold War-era precautions.
In the final weeks of Joe Biden’s presidency, the US State Department introduced a sweeping new restriction prohibiting all American government personnel stationed in China—including their family members and security-cleared contractors—from engaging in any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens. The policy, reminiscent of Cold War-era measures, was quietly implemented in January by then–US Ambassador Nicholas Burns just before his departure from Beijing. Dubbed a “non-fraternization” rule, it effectively banned personal romantic ties between American envoys and Chinese nationals.
