After three years of the pandemic, China has once again opened its doors to the world. However, there are reports indicating that the authorities are tightening travel restrictions for public servants, extending even to employees of private and state-owned enterprises. Recently, there has been a heightened level of scrutiny from China’s national security department, claiming to target “internal traitors.” Analysts believe that the expanded confiscation of passports is linked to power struggles within the Chinese Communist Party. Amid rising public discontent, dissatisfaction within the party towards the authorities is simmering like an underground fire.
According to a report from the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on June 6th, despite gradually reopening its borders following the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese authorities have continued to tighten controls on outbound travel for public servants and employees of state-owned enterprises. The scope of restrictions has broadened to include not only nearly all public servants but also most employees in state-owned enterprises, financial sectors, as well as leadership positions in schools and hospitals.
Over the past year, authorities at both the central and local levels have continuously introduced new regulations restricting private travel. Those subject to restrictions are required to surrender their passports, and any international travel requires complex and opaque approval processes.
Reportedly, employees holding higher positions or involved in sensitive roles within the Chinese system face even stricter travel restrictions. Even officials above the bureau chief level, including those in retirement, face permanent constraints. The public security and border control departments constantly update watchlists, monitoring unauthorized outbound activities.
In addition, media groups with official backgrounds have begun collecting passports from all journalists. Radio Free Asia cited an anonymous former mid-level employee of a Chinese state media outlet on June 6th, stating that journalists, due to the nature of their profession, have greater access to internal government documents. In the current climate where the Chinese authorities broadly define national security, journalists have become a sensitive profession subject to outbound restrictions.
Former private entrepreneur in mainland China, Hu Liren, stated that even private business owners closely tied to local finances now face stringent scrutiny when traveling abroad.
The tightening of official travel restrictions by the Chinese Communist Party in the late 20th century was primarily aimed at preventing high-ranking officials from concealing embezzled funds overseas or defecting. However, as Xi Jinping’s administration intensified anti-corruption efforts since 2014, outbound travel for public servants became increasingly restricted. In the past two years, heightened geopolitical tensions between China and the United States and its allies have led Beijing to elevate the discourse on “national security.” Xi Jinping continuously expresses concerns within the party regarding regime security.
Since last year, the once covert national security department of the Chinese Communist Party has assumed a more prominent role in various sectors including economics, diplomacy, and finance. The security department has publicized multiple cases alleging that employees of state-owned enterprises or central government agencies were lured by foreign powers while abroad, exploiting access to political and technological secrets. However, skepticism persists among observers regarding the credibility of the Chinese authorities’ claims about spies.
In April of this year, Chinese Minister of National Security, Chen Yixin, emphasized the need for “anti-subversion, anti-hegemony, anti-secession, anti-terrorism, anti-spy” efforts, vowing to “eliminate internal traitors.”
Chinese affairs expert Wang He stated to Epoch Times on June 7th that under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, society now resembles a large prison. Beyond controlling the flow of information between domestic and international realms, outbound travel by individuals deemed as having sensitive information is increasingly restricted, with the net widening to include even village chiefs in rural areas surrendering their passports.
“This is because the Chinese Communist Party feels that it is on shaky ground, and thus the controls become more stringent. They are aware of the growing discontent, hence they create a facade, cracking down on ‘internal traitors’ under the guise of national security, painting a picture that spies are everywhere, fostering a tense atmosphere.”
Wang He believes that the recent expansion of tightened outbound restrictions for public servants is connected to internal power struggles within the Chinese Communist Party. Since Xi Jinping ally Li Xi took office as the Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary, there has been an increase in the number of officials under central management compared to previous periods, signaling escalating conflicts within the bureaucratic elite. Apart from routine anti-corruption inspections, authorities are now enforcing major internal reporting requirements, including strict control over passports.
However, Wang He contends that the greater the sense of crisis within the Chinese Communist Party, the tighter the controls become, leading to worse outcomes. Presently, it is not only the general public criticized the party, but communist officials are generally adopting a doomsday mentality, understanding that the regime is on the verge of collapse and are reluctant to be tied to the party. “While the authorities currently hold power, people are afraid to act, but discontent is brewing, and when the time is right, significant changes will occur.”
Yuan Hongbing, an academic studying in Australia, previously indicated to Epoch Times that from his understanding, the majority of Chinese officials are now what Xi Jinping refers to as “two-faced.” Authorities currently rely on a vast super-spy system to control officials, but in the event of a major incident, they could lose control. “All the conditions for a political upheaval in China are present; now we are waiting for a historic opportunity.”