China has introduced broader rules governing citizens’ ability to leave the country, giving authorities expanded powers to restrict overseas travel on national security, industrial and technological grounds.
Under the new rules, Chinese citizens considered to have harmed the country’s national security or interests while abroad can be prevented from leaving China for up to three years.
The regulations also cover individuals considered to pose a threat to China’s industrial or technological security, potentially bringing people working in strategically important sectors such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence under greater scrutiny.
The measures come as China and the US intensify their competition over advanced technologies, with China increasingly treating technology and industrial capabilities as matters of national security.
The restrictions are not entirely new. Chinese authorities have for years imposed controls on overseas travel by certain categories of citizens, including civil servants and employees of state-owned enterprises. The new rules appear to provide a broader formal framework for such controls.
In March, the co-founders of Manus, an artificial intelligence company later acquired by Meta, were reportedly prevented from leaving China. The case highlighted the increasing sensitivity surrounding Chinese technology companies and executives with access to advanced technologies.
New Regulations
Under the new regulations, border authorities are also required to advise Chinese citizens against travelling to countries and regions designated as “high-risk”.
Chinese authorities say the measures are intended to protect citizens and national interests rather than prevent ordinary people from travelling abroad.
Piyao, a Chinese government platform used to refute what authorities describe as rumours, said the regulations do not impose general restrictions on ordinary citizens. Instead, it said they are designed to address risks including people being deceived into travelling overseas, illegal gambling and involvement in international scam operations.
It said the system was primarily intended to prevent corrupt officials from fleeing the country or transferring assets overseas, while restrictions on more senior officials could also be intended to prevent the disclosure of state secrets.
A 32-year-old employee of a state-owned financial institution in Beijing, identified by the pseudonym Xiao Wang, told BBC Chinese that employees at his workplace have similarly been required to surrender their passports and obtain permission before travelling abroad.
Managers had also verbally warned staff against travelling to what they described as sensitive countries, with Japan specifically cited as off-limits, according to Xiao Wang.
The expansion of exit controls has raised concerns among legal and human rights experts about the increasing ability of the Chinese state to control citizens’ movements beyond the country’s borders.
