Students influenced by Western ideology... China orders teachers to undergo passport checks during overseas travel

Chinese Government Tightens Overseas Travel Restrictions
Including Schools, Universities, and Lower-Level Officials
Concerns Over Patriotism Damage and Confidential Information Leakage

The Chinese government has sparked controversy by requiring teachers to submit their passports as it tightens regulations on overseas travel. On the 7th (local time), the UK Financial Times (FT) reported, "From this year, China's 'personal overseas travel management' has been expanded to include ordinary employees of schools, universities, local governments, and state-owned enterprises."

An Air China aircraft on the runway at Beijing Capital Airport, China. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to the report, at least six local education offices in Hubei Province, Anhui Province, Sichuan Province, Guangdong Province, Jiangsu Province, and Henan Province have demanded that teachers submit their passports this year. Teachers in these areas must submit an application to their school before traveling abroad, and even if approved, travel is limited to "one-time trips of less than 20 days." If they refuse to submit their passports or leave the country without permission, they may face separate criticism and education or be handed over to anti-corruption agencies and be banned from traveling for 2 to 5 years. Since the mid-2010s, some regions have begun regulating teachers' overseas travel, but this year the restrictions have expanded further.

This measure is presumed to stem from concerns that teachers influenced by Western ideologies could negatively affect students' "patriotic and loyalty education." In March, the Wenzhou City Ohaigu Education Bureau announced "teacher travel rules" that included provisions such as "teachers must not contact Falun Gong or 'hostile foreign forces.'" Falun Gong is a type of spiritual practice in China known to be persecuted by the Communist Party.

Since 2003, China has restricted overseas travel for mid-level and higher-ranking officials to prevent leaks of confidential information. This time, the restrictions have been extended to lower-level local government officials and public sector workers, including those in state-owned enterprises. These individuals often face travel restrictions even after retirement.

Teachers subject to these overseas travel restrictions have expressed dissatisfaction. An elementary school teacher in Sichuan Province told FT, "Both teachers and public sector employees were told to submit their passports," adding, "We have to report to the education office to travel abroad, but I don't think approval will be granted." A teacher in Henan Province wrote on the Chinese social networking service (SNS) Xiaohongshu, "Majoring in English literature and visiting English-speaking countries was a lifelong dream, but now that dream seems to be shattered."