The exit ban on Mr. Liu’s children was seen as a way to pressure Mr. Liu to return to China and turn himself in.
The series of diplomatic actions appeared to have been intended to cool tensions between the two governments, which have become increasingly confrontational on trade, technology, human rights, the future of Taiwan and other issues. At their video summit this week, Mr. Biden and Mr. Xi reached no breakthrough accords, agreeing only on the need to prevent frictions from escalating into all-out conflict.
The American who was allowed to leave China this month, Daniel Hsu, has not been convicted of any crimes in China. Mr. Hsu told The Associated Press last year that the Chinese authorities blocked him and his wife from returning to their home in Washington State in August 2017, in what Mr. Hsu said was an apparent attempt to convince his father to return to China and face embezzlement charges. Mr. Hsu’s father, Xu Weiming, denies the charges, The A.P. reported.
Mr. Hsu’s return to the United States was reported earlier by Reuters.
The State Department has been warning Americans who are considering travel to China of the risk of “arbitrary detention and exit bans.” In most cases, the department says, U.S. citizens only become aware of an exit ban when they try to leave China.