Public sector workers in China are being asked to hand over their passports as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on every aspect of society.

The number of public sector workers restricted from traveling abroad has risen sharply this year, now including most employees in schools, universities, local governments and other state-owned enterprises.

Legislation in 2003 allowed China’s communist government to restrict international travel for mid- to senior-level officials.

With the so-called passport collection campaign, municipalities can control and monitor who travels abroad and how often.

As President Xi continues to increase his dictatorship’s intrusions into people’s private lives, he has also intensified his campaign against foreign spies.

This has led to many workers suddenly realizing that they can no longer enjoy the freedom of travel as much as they did not so long ago.

President Xi Jinping continues to increase his dictatorship’s intrusion into people’s private lives and intensify his campaign against foreign spies

A Chinese passport. The number of public sector workers whose ability to travel abroad is restricted has increased massively this year and now includes most employees in schools, universities, local governments and other state-owned companies (archive image).

Speaking to the Financial Times, a primary school teacher from Sichuan province said: “All teachers and public sector workers have been asked to hand over our passports.”

Educators in other cities across the country, including Guangdong and Yichang, have reported imposing similar restrictions.

Teachers have long faced restrictions on traveling abroad out of fear of what ideas they might encounter outside of China and then convey to their students.

This has increased sharply in recent years as many Covid-19 pandemic-era restrictions have been lifted and replaced with similar bans.

Teachers in Wenzhou, eastern China, were asked to surrender their passports as early as March and their names would be registered with the Public Security Bureau’s border control unit.

To travel abroad, teachers must submit an application to their schools and are typically limited to one trip per year for fewer than 20 days per year.

Anyone who refused to hand over their passport or traveled anyway was threatened with “criticism and clarification” or even a referral to the Chinese anti-corruption authority.

You may also face a travel ban for two to five years.

Other sectors are also affected, as some workers in state-owned enterprises require approval from nine different departments before they can go on vacation – and yet they have not received their passports.

Pensioners are also not immune to the possibility that a former aircraft manufacturer, retired for over a decade, will suddenly have his passport revoked, preventing him from visiting family members living abroad.

Other sectors are also affected, as some workers in state-owned companies need approval from nine different departments abroad before they can go on holiday – and then still haven’t received a passport (stock image)

The 76-year-old, who described himself as a patriot, said his former employee had no reason to forbid him from traveling to see his grandson.

China’s Foreign Ministry told the Financial Times it was not aware of the situation and referred questions to relevant authorities.

National security has long been used by the government as an excuse to crack down on freedoms. In the 21st century, Chinese citizens are subject to censorship over what they can and cannot do online and offline.

Meanwhile, residents in areas like Tibet have faced oppression for decades. They lost their freedom to travel abroad more than a decade ago.