China tightens travel restrictions as new national security rules take effect

China has brought in new travel rules that allow authorities to bar citizens from leaving the country in a wider range of cases linked to national security and other violations. The measures took effect on Tuesday and apply to people deemed to have harmed China's national security or interests while overseas. They also cover some breaches of technology import and export regulations.

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Under the rules, Chinese citizens who are judged to have harmed national security or interests abroad can be barred from leaving China for up to three years after they return. Authorities say the changes are intended to safeguard national sovereignty and security, and they deny that the rules restrict the travel of ordinary citizens. A state-linked public information platform also said last week that the measures were aimed at high-risk destinations and people with unusual travel patterns.

The new framework adds to a system that critics say already gives the state broad leverage over overseas activity by Chinese nationals. A law professor quoted on the issue said the rules amount to another tool for controlling what citizens do and say abroad. He said state security authorities can in some cases refuse to issue passports to prevent criticism of the government or to punish rights advocacy.

The regulations also reflect Beijing's wider focus on national security in areas ranging from technology to border control. The text of the rules says people may be stopped from leaving if they violate import and export rules that could endanger national industrial or technological security. That links travel controls with the government's efforts to protect sensitive sectors and manage risks associated with overseas activity.

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There are also signs that some Chinese nationals have faced unclear travel restrictions for years. One 26-year-old citizen said his passport application was rejected in 2023 and that he believed it was connected to his attendance at the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. He said he had also been interviewed by Hong Kong media during the protests.

The account suggests that the new rules formalise powers that critics say have already been used in opaque ways. What remains unclear is how often the new powers will be used, which agencies will apply them in practice, and what evidence will be required before a travel ban is imposed. It is also not clear how many people could be affected or whether the rules will be challenged publicly.

For now, the measures mark a further tightening of state control over cross-border movement and overseas conduct.

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