China tightens travel restrictions for citizens in sweeping new law

China has recently implemented a set of regulations that significantly tighten travel restrictions for its citizens, granting the state greater control over population movement. These measures target individuals accused of compromising national security or national interests while abroad, subjecting them to re-entry and exit bans lasting up to three years.

The rules also extend to anyone perceived as a threat to domestic industrial or technological security, particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Border officials are instructed to discourage travel to high-risk regions and require detailed justifications for travel applications, with family visits receiving higher approval rates than general tourism.

The Chinese government maintains that these restrictions serve as preventative measures against high-risk destinations and individuals with unusual travel patterns, combating illegal gambling, scams, and deceptive recruitment practices. However, analysts warn that these regulations are designed to control what Chinese citizens do and say overseas, impacting human rights defenders and political critics.

The measures have led to a dramatic escalation in exit bans, with judicial records revealing a massive increase from just 89 recorded exit bans in 2016 to 188,760 in 2025. This has introduced new layers of unpredictability for commercial, educational, and diplomatic exchanges with China in Africa.