Public sector employees in China are being ordered to hand in their passports as President Xi Jinping’s grip on every aspect of society tightens. The number of public sector workers who face restrictions on their ability to travel abroad has been massively expanded this year to include most staff at schools, universities, local government and other state-owned businesses.
Legislation dating back to 2003 allowed the communist government in China to restrict international travel for mid-to-high-level officials. Under the so-called passport collection drive local authorities are able to control and monitor who travels abroad and how often.
Now, as President Xi continues to increase his dictatorship’s invasion of people’s private lives, he has also intensified his campaign against foreign spies. This has led many workers to suddenly find they cannot enjoy the freedom to travel in the way they once did not so long ago.