September 18, 2026
New Chinese exit-entry regulations took effect on September 15, expanding the legal framework authorities can use to restrict departures and entries on national-security and technology-security grounds.
The State Council promulgated Decree No. 841 on July 22 after approval at a June 29 executive meeting. The government says the regulations are intended to standardize exit-entry administration, protect the lawful rights of travelers, and safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
Human Rights Watch said the 19-article regulations broaden administrative discretion to prevent people from leaving China and raised concerns about the internationally protected right to leave a country. Reuters reported that the rules include provisions affecting Chinese citizens in technology- and national-security cases and restrictions affecting foreign nationals.
Why the rules matter
Exit restrictions have long affected some rights defenders, businesspeople, foreign nationals and people involved in investigations or legal disputes in mainland China. The new regulations provide an additional formal regulatory framework for travel controls.
The rules should be assessed both from the Chinese government’s stated security and administrative rationale and from concerns raised by rights organizations about discretionary restrictions and due-process protections.
Sources
Primary source: State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Decree No. 841, Regulations on Exit-Entry Administration. Additional reporting and analysis: Reuters, September 15, 2026; Human Rights Watch, September 16, 2026.