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China has tightened travel restrictions for citizens deemed to threaten the country’s industrial or technological security.
Under the new rules, citizens who violate technology import and export regulations can be banned from leaving China, the State Council said on Tuesday.
Those who engage in illegal activities abroad can also be barred from leaving the country for six months to three years after returning.
The rules were first released in July but took effect on Tuesday.
The State Council said the measures were introduced to “safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests”.
The new restrictions come as China and the United States remain locked in a technology race, with both countries accusing each other of stealing technology linked to locally developed artificial intelligence (AI) models.
Analysts have warned that the rules give Chinese authorities a broad scope to restrict citizens from leaving the country.
Security and criminal activities “can be vaguely defined and easily adjusted”, Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore told AFP.
“The outside world will only know how it applies that remit after there are cases of implementation,” he said.
Chong cited reports of exit bans involving foreign nationals, including the recent case of US citizen Min Zin.
The US government has said the political analyst was taken into Chinese custody in Yunnan province on June 3 and held improperly.
China rejected the accusation in August, saying Min Zin was suspected of violating Chinese law.
“The case of Min Zin is a reminder that the range of people (that China) could restrict from exiting could be quite wide — and potentially arbitrary,” Chong said.
Dylan Loh, an associate professor at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, said the restrictions “send a message” that China would act to prevent leaks involving sensitive security or national-interest information.
