China Tightens Grip on Passports, Raising Travel Concerns

Human Rights Watch reports that China is imposing arbitrary travel restrictions on citizens, especially targeting Tibetans and Uyghurs. This involves complicated documentation for passport applications and lengthy approval waits, suggesting a rollback to restrictive travel policies of the past.

The Chinese government is increasingly enforcing stringent restrictions on citizens' internationally recognized right to leave the country, according to a recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The report highlights that individuals, particularly from regions considered high-risk for online fraud or "illegal" emigration, face additional bureaucratic hurdles and must secure multiple government approvals for passport applications.

HRW's Associate China Director, Maya Wang, remarked that while many Chinese citizens travel abroad freely, an expanding list of individuals faces restrictions, reminiscent of longstanding prohibitions for Tibetans and Uyghurs. "Authorities are extending these restrictions under the pretense of anti-crime campaigns," Wang observed.

The HRW report disclosed that the Ministry of Public Security's new "on-demand" passport system, launched in late 2002, excludes regions like Xinjiang and Tibetan areas. Residents there endure onerous documentation requirements and lengthy wait times, highlighting fears of regressive travel policies under President Xi Jinping. "Anxiety is rising as growing passport restrictions echo past eras when few could travel abroad," Wang stated. HRW urges Chinese authorities to discard these discriminatory practices to ensure equitable travel rights for all.