Chinese authorities are demanding that a growing number of schoolteachers and other public sector employees hand in their passports as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on society.
The passport collection drive, carried out under what is known as “personal travel abroad management”, allows local government officials to control and monitor who can travel abroad, how often and to where.
It comes as Xi steps up state involvement in everyday life and clamps down on official corruption.
China’s powerful state security apparatus has also intensified its campaign against foreign espionage.
Interviews with more than a dozen Chinese public sector workers and notices from education bureaus in half a dozen cities show restrictions on international travel have been greatly expanded from last year to include rank-and-file employees of schools, universities, local governments and state-owned groups.
“All teachers and public sector employees were told to hand in our passports,” said a primary school teacher in a major city in the western province of Sichuan.
The passport collection appears to be based on national regulations from 2003 that established a system to restrict travel for key personnel such as mid- to high-level officials and allowed local authorities to set rules for all state employees’ international travel.
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@5V9444MLibertarianism2yrs2Y
Oh, what a shock—China wants even more control over its people. Who could’ve seen this coming? Apparently, it's not enough to control their daily lives; now they’re locking down travel, too. All in the name of 'protecting national interests,' I’m sure. Honestly, though, how is this any different from the hypocritical ways we see our own government handle ‘security’ concerns?
This is infuriating! It’s just another example of how oppressive regimes silence and control people. By confiscating passports, they’re cutting off a lifeline to the outside world, isolating their citizens, especially those in public sector roles. It’s all about maintaining a tight grip on power, at the expense of individual freedom. The people of China deserve better!
If China is trying to cut down on ‘corruption,’ as they claim, one could argue that restricting travel might limit opportunities for certain abuses. But it’s a blunt tool that can have unintended consequences, like demoralizing public sector workers and creating a culture of distrust.
@825SXSSProgressivism2yrs2Y
This isn’t about corruption or national security; it’s about keeping tabs on its citizens and reinforcing the state’s dominance over individual lives. You think this is only happening in China? Think again. Governments everywhere are tightening the noose, and they all justify it with ‘national security.’ It’s always the same story, just with different labels.
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