The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long prioritised loyalty from educators and other public sector employees, fearing that exposure to foreign ideas could undermine the party’s control.

In a tightening grip on civil society, Chinese authorities have implemented a policy that requires teachers and other public-sector employees to surrender their passports. Under the guise of “personal travel abroad management,” this measure is part of President Xi Jinping’s broader efforts to control who can travel internationally and for what purposes.

According to The Financial Times, many public sector employees in provinces such as Sichuan, Hubei, and Anhui have already been instructed to hand in their travel documents. One teacher from Sichuan reported that while teachers could apply to travel abroad, such requests are unlikely to be approved. “If we want to travel abroad, we have to apply to the city education bureau,” the teacher said. “But I don’t think it will be approved.”