China Orders Teachers and Public Workers to Hand Over Passports as Xi Tightens Control

Oct 6, 2024, 09:24 PM

Chinese authorities are requiring a growing number of schoolteachers and other public sector employees to surrender their passports, as President Xi Jinping intensifies control over society, according to reports by the Financial Times. Under a policy known as 'personal travel abroad management', local government officials can monitor and regulate who travels abroad, how often, and to which destinations. Interviews with more than a dozen public sector workers and notices in several cities, including Wenzhou, indicate that restrictions on international travel have been significantly expanded to include rank-and-file employees of schools, universities, local governments, and state-owned enterprises. 'All teachers and public sector employees were told to hand in our passports,' one source said. The move reflects concerns over corruption, foreign espionage, and ideological control.