Chinese Authorities Tighten Passport Issuance to Hinder Citizens From Fleeing Overseas

Restrictions on the right of citizens to possess passports reflect the CCP’s attempts to ‘turn China into a vast prison,’ a Chinese lawyer says.

A Chinese passport and some Vietnamese Dongs are left on one of the tables of the customs office for a Cambodian visa application on May 16, 2014 at the Bavet border crossing, Cambodia. Omar Havana/Getty Images

News Analysis

Chinese residents in many parts of China find it increasingly difficult to apply for passports. Political observers believe this could be a countermeasure by the Chinese Communist Party  (CCP) to stem the rising number of people fleeing the country with their assets.