New York, Sep 17 (IANS): US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised grave concerns over a new Chinese government decree that gives administrative authorities sweeping powers to arbitrarily bar people from leaving the country, in violation of the internationally protected right to leave a country.
According to HRW, the new decree, which took effect on September 15, enables authorities to restrict nationals and non-nationals from leaving China for a range of “ill-defined reasons of national security and risk”.
However, it said, under international human rights law, any legal restrictions on leaving a country must be necessary and proportionate for legitimate aims.
“The Chinese government is tightening its rules to decide arbitrarily who can and cannot leave China, violating the internationally protected right to leave one’s country. The authorities have increasingly subjected human rights defenders and ethnic minorities to restrictions and scrutiny of their international travel, but everyone, including foreigners, should worry about their ability to leave China,” said Maya Wang, Deputy Asia Director at HRW.
Highlighting that Chinese authorities have also imposed exit bans on specific foreign nationals without justification, the rights body said that in July 2025, the government blocked a US federal employee and a Wells Fargo bank executive from leaving China. However, neither had been charged with a criminal offence.
HRW noted that Chinese citizens—except those from Xinjiang and Tibetan areas—had largely been able to travel abroad more easily since 2002, when China’s Ministry of Public Security’s Entry and Exit Administration began an “on demand” system to simplify passport applications.
However, it said, the Chinese government has tightened exit controls over the past decade, imposing new travel restrictions on religious minorities and human rights defenders.
Despite some Uyghurs now being allowed to travel abroad, severe restrictions remain in place following the confiscation of previously issued passports by Xinjiang authorities in 2016, the rights body said.
Criticising the newly issued decree, HRW said that Chinese legislation that allows authorities to broadly restrict the right of nationals and foreigners to leave the country under “vague claims” fails to meet international human rights standards,
“China’s exit restrictions will further chill expression and academic freedom, increasing self-censorship by Chinese nationals and foreigners fearful of being barred from leaving the country. Concerned governments should press China to repeal these abusive rules and support their citizens affected by these arbitrary restrictions,” Maya Wang said.
