New travel regulations in China have recently taken effect, giving authorities the power to restrict the departure of citizens who are deemed to have harmed the country's national security or interests while abroad. The rules also allow for the temporary ban of individuals who violate technology import and export regulations for up to three years after returning to China. Chinese officials explain that these regulations are meant to "safeguard national sovereignty and security" and emphasize that they are not intended to limit the travel of "ordinary citizens." However, critics argue that the measures could be used to exert pressure on Chinese nationals living overseas. Professor Tom Kellogg, from the Center for Asian Law at Georgetown University, stated that the new rules are another method for the Chinese government to control the actions and expressions of citizens abroad. He noted that in some cases, state security authorities have directly refused to issue passports to individuals who criticize the government or engage in rights advocacy. According to the regulations, Chinese citizens may be prohibited from leaving the country if they are found to have violated technology import and export rules that "may endanger national industrial or technological security." A Chinese government platform, Piyao, which addresses misinformation, stated that the new rules are not aimed at restricting ordinary citizens but rather serve as a precautionary measure against high-risk destinations and individuals with unusual travel behaviors. The regulations are intended to address issues such as people being deceived into leaving the country or participating in illegal gambling and scam activities abroad. Some Chinese citizens have reported experiencing unclear travel restrictions for years. One individual, identified as Pipi, said his passport application in 2023 was rejected, and he believes it was due to his attendance at pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Pipi was questioned by state security police upon returning to mainland China and was told he could not get a passport "because of the Hong Kong issue," though this was not confirmed in writing. Pipi did not pursue the matter further due to fear of imprisonment. China's Administrative Licensing Law requires that when an administrative authority decides not to grant a license, it must provide written reasons. However, some individuals interviewed by the BBC said this requirement is not consistently followed. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and immigration authorities did not respond to BBC Chinese inquiries. According to data from the rights group Safeguard Defenders, China has significantly increased the number of exit bans on its citizens in recent years, with a sharp rise in records mentioning such bans in the country's supreme court database.