The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has introduced new regulations requiring all Chinese nationals employed at foreign embassies and consulates in China to be hired and managed exclusively through state-run service agencies.
Analysts say the move reflects Beijing’s deepening security concerns and expanding control over foreign relations.
The CCP’s State Council announced on Sept. 15 that the new rules will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The regulations prohibit Chinese nationals from “privately” taking jobs with foreign diplomatic missions and stress that local staff must not engage in activities deemed to “endanger national security” or “social and public interests.”
According to the State Council, Premier Li Qiang signed the order on Aug. 23. The regulations, consisting of 12 articles, mandate that all local staff be issued an official work certificate by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and be recruited only through government-designated agencies.
National Security Overtones
While Chinese officials describe the measure as a way to protect employees’ rights and standardize hiring procedures, China observers say it is more about political control.“This shows Beijing now sees Chinese nationals working in embassies as potential risks for intelligence leaks,” said a Hong Kong-based China current affairs commentator using the pseudonym Wang, who spoke to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity for safety.
“Even though these employees are already vetted by China’s security agencies, the fact that the State Council issued a formal regulation suggests the government wants to institutionalize control under the banner of national security.”
Zhao, a Beijing-based scholar who asked not to publish his full name for safety reasons, said to The Epoch Times that the move reflects the CCP leadership’s anxieties amid escalating tensions with the United States and Europe.
“The CIA even released recruitment videos in Chinese, encouraging CCP officials to come forward to the CIA,” Zhao said. “Beijing fears that this situation might actually happen.”
Elevating Longstanding Restrictions
Foreign embassies in China have long hired local Chinese staff through government-run service companies. These employees, working as secretaries, receptionists, drivers, cooks, and cleaners, are technically contractors, not entitled to diplomatic immunity, and their contracts and salaries are subject to government oversight.What is new, experts say, is the elevation of these rules to a State Council regulation.
“In the past, it was mostly handled through administrative guidelines,” Wang explained. “By raising it to the State Council level, the [Chinese] government is not only strengthening its legal authority but also legitimizing greater involvement by police and security agencies.”
Tighter Scrutiny Ahead
Legal scholars say the timing is tied to China’s broader tightening of security laws. Since Beijing revised its anti-espionage law in 2023, the regime has stepped up restrictions on information-sharing and contact with foreigners.A Chinese legal expert using the pseudonym Lao, who also asked for anonymity, told The Epoch Times the embassy staff regulation is an extension of that campaign.
“Beijing is trying to plug any potential ‘intelligence loophole,’” he said. “As far as I know, these carefully vetted employees mainly handle tasks such as answering phones, paperwork, kitchen duties, gardening, and cleaning inside embassies. Employers generally do not allow them access to sensitive information.”
Foreign diplomatic missions in China rely heavily on local Chinese staff for administrative and logistical support in their daily operations. Analysts warn that the new rules could increase political pressure on those employees, making recruitment harder and pushing some to resign.
A former Chinese diplomat, speaking anonymously to The Epoch Times, said the regulation will “make foreign missions more cautious about hiring Chinese nationals.”
“For foreign embassies and consulates, Chinese employees have always been low-risk administrative and support staff,” the former diplomat said. “But now their roles are being elevated to the level of national security, which shows the authorities want to control not only their actions but also their thoughts and loyalty.”
Xing Du contributed to this report.
