China is no longer just building an AI powerhouse. It’s making sure the people behind it can’t leave.
Beijing has expanded travel restrictions targeting senior AI personnel at private-sector companies, deploying a mix of exit bans, passport confiscations, and investment controls aimed at preventing the outflow of expertise and intellectual property as the US-China technology rivalry intensifies.
Passport surrenders and exit bans
The pattern started becoming visible in March 2025, when DeepSeek imposed passport surrenders on select R&D staff. The stated rationale: protecting commercial and state secrets.
By March 2026, the government’s hand became far more explicit. Manus, an AI startup, saw co-founder Xiao Hong and chief scientist Ji Yichao barred from leaving the country entirely. The restrictions came during regulatory scrutiny of a $2B acquisition by Meta.
