The image depicts Beijing's Tiananmen Square. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
[People News] As we approach 2026, both domestic and international landscapes are undergoing dramatic transformations. On the domestic front, Xi Jinping's ousting of Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, signifies a pivotal moment (akin to the 'September 13 Incident' involving Lin Biao in 1971), resulting in overt and intensified internal conflicts within the Communist Party. Internationally, events such as the U.S. capturing Maduro and the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei showcase the formidable power of the U.S. and the strategic objectives of the Trump administration, leaving the Communist Party in a state of perpetual unease. In light of these developments, Xi's administration is hastily reverting to a closed-door policy reminiscent of the Mao era, continuously rolling out its "internal control and external defence" measures. This article summarises four key aspects.
Firstly, passport controls have been tightened, making it increasingly difficult for citizens to leave the country.
In 2026, the requirements for exiting the country have been raised even further, with passport restrictions now affecting ordinary residents in certain provinces. A prominent example can be found in Wugang, a county-level city in Hunan, which is part of the so-called "revolutionary old area." An online document titled "Application for Exit Approval Form" reveals that Wugang residents wishing to apply for a passport must not only secure the signature of their village (community) secretary but also undergo scrutiny from the police station chief, township secretary, and county public security brigade leader, with final approval resting with the "Office of the Anti-Fraud Coordination Group."
A woman at the passport application window expressed her frustration, stating, "Applying for a passport is incredibly difficult; the required documents are so numerous that it's impossible to gather them all. It's essentially a disguised way of preventing us from going abroad." Applicants are mandated to provide a fully transparent financial record, which includes detailed transaction histories from WeChat and Alipay for nearly a year, as well as screenshots of all bank cards registered in their name obtained through 'Yunshanfuk'. Regarding communication privacy, they must verify all phone cards registered under their name using 'Yizheng Tongcha' and generate a report. Additionally, to establish social ties, a guarantee letter from a domestic organisation is also required.
The situation with Wu Gang illustrates that the authorities' passport control measures (referred to as 'prior approval, unified collection, and distribution based on need') have shifted from being an 'anti-corruption tool' to a 'political chain', restricting not only officials and managers of public institutions and state-owned enterprises but also extending to a billion ordinary citizens.
With passport control becoming this stringent, travelling abroad has become even more challenging. On January 21, Liu Xiaonan, a resident of Zunyi, Guizhou, mentioned in an interview that individuals who travel abroad from their area are summoned by local police to provide statements upon their return and are required to hand over their passports. Mr Huang, a resident of Guiyang, also disclosed that now, once you book an international flight, the police will call you to explain the purpose and specific reasons for your trip. Furthermore, some educational institutions have issued announcements stating that once you go abroad, you must not engage with 'foreign hostile forces'.
Secondly, strict controls on overseas social interactions compel individuals within the system to avoid contact with friends and relatives abroad.
During the Cultural Revolution, the term 'overseas relations' was a frightening label, often used as evidence of 'colluding with foreign countries'. Many individuals associated with 'overseas relations' faced political persecution, were expelled from the Communist Party, or were sent to rural areas. After the Reform and Opening Up, 'overseas relations' briefly became a sought-after asset. However, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has now significantly intensified its measures to guard against 'overseas relations', leading to increasingly strict social controls for personnel within the system, as China shifts towards a 'semi-closed' state.
Mr Liu, a member of the CCP's judicial system, informed Dajiyuan reporters that since early January this year, the public security and judicial systems have issued notices indicating that any contact with individuals who have overseas backgrounds is considered a potential risk source, necessitating avoidance and reporting. In serious cases, individuals may even be instructed to sever ties. Mr Liu stated, 'Currently, there is a stringent effort to prevent contact with overseas individuals. These people are typically your old classmates, friends, online acquaintances, and relatives. The primary concern is the risk of information leaks. Some individuals may inadvertently disclose internal matters while chatting with overseas friends and relatives, including sensitive issues currently unfolding, such as the arrests of corrupt officials or incidents like the Zhang Youxia case. I believe this is not only applicable to the public security and judicial systems but also to municipal and district governments.'
Zhou Liang (pseudonym), who previously worked at Tianjin Customs, recently returned from Australia and invited former colleagues to meet. The colleague declined the dinner invitation, citing a busy work schedule, and suggested, 'I will pick up my child tomorrow; let’s meet at the school gate.' Ultimately, they only had a brief conversation at the school gate. The colleague mentioned that this way, even if seen by coworkers, it would not be an issue, as there are cameras in the area, and it is a public place, which could be considered a chance encounter.
Recent leaks from various regions have revealed that public officials in China are required to complete the 'Overseas Relatives Situation Registration Form', with any unreported contacts potentially leading to political review penalties. This indicates a shift in the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) management strategy from 'behaviour control' to 'relationship control', effectively severing ties between the system and the outside world.
In addition, central ministries have enacted the strictest mobile phone ban to date.
The CCP adopts a mindset of unrestricted warfare, which leads to heightened self-protection measures. For example, a decade ago, a rule was established prohibiting the use of Apple phones in offices, although enforcement was relaxed at times. In 2019, the Financial Times reported that the General Office of the Central Committee of the CCP mandated all government departments and public institutions to phase out all foreign computers and software within three years (30% by 2020, 50% by 2021, and the remaining 20% by 2022). In 2024, the Financial Times further reported that the CCP banned the use of Intel and AMD chips in government computers and required state-owned enterprises to transition to domestic suppliers by 2027.
However, as we approach 2026, overseas media have reported that the National Supercomputing Centre in Tianjin (NSCC) has allegedly experienced a significant cyber breach, with leaked data estimated at 10PB (around 10 million GB), encompassing critical technical information related to missile design, aerospace, and nuclear fusion simulations. This incident has prompted the CCP to escalate its preventive measures to an extreme level.
The Dajiyuan reported, citing an informed source within the system, that the General Office of the State Council has recently implemented several internal regulations. Employees are now required to turn off or silence their mobile phones before entering the office area and to store them in electronic shielding cabinets at the entrance. Additionally, a 'repeated confirmation' step has been introduced. Civil servants must check themselves to ensure they are not carrying a second mobile phone, preventing the scenario of 'storing one while carrying another.' In the office area, communication among employees must now be conducted using landline phones.
Mr Sun, an individual from a core sensitive department, confirmed that the security level for departments related to foreign affairs and national defence has been elevated, and new mobile signal detection equipment has been installed. He stated, 'The higher-ups have repeatedly stressed that internal affairs must be handled with a 'disconnected' operation. Some highly sensitive computers cannot even connect to the internal local area network and can only operate on completely isolated standalone machines.'
In light of these stringent measures, a retired civil servant noted that while security precautions have always been in place, the intensity of these measures has clearly increased. 'This time, not only has the ban been reinstated, but domestic mobile phones have also been included, requiring them to be uniformly stored at the entrance. This indicates that the higher-ups' vigilance against 'internal spies' and 'technical vulnerabilities' is increasing.'
Lastly, cross-border network control has seen a significant upgrade.
Since Xi Jinping took office at the end of 2012, internet control in China has significantly intensified. The newly revised "Cybersecurity Law" came into effect on January 1, 2026, which notably strengthened regulations on cross-border access. At the end of January, the Ministry of Public Security of the Communist Party of China released the "Cybercrime Prevention Law (Draft for Comments)", which further highlighted the blocking of channels for obtaining information from abroad. By April, several internal documents from the Communist Party of China had leaked on overseas social platforms, revealing new developments— the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and the three major telecommunications operators are tightening control over cross-border network connections, affecting both businesses and individuals.
Starting April 1, authorities initiated a special campaign to rectify cross-border access behaviours. Yu Min (pseudonym), a network engineer at a technology company in Suzhou, told a reporter from Radio Free Asia: "Previously, we mostly received reminders or requests for rectification within a specified time, but now it’s direct shutdown, leaving virtually no room for negotiation."
A notice from the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission indicated that a seminar on the so-called "Cyber Power" of the Communist Party leader was held in Beijing on April 16; a document from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed that a special meeting on rectifying cross-border data connections took place on April 7. A leaked notice from a Jiangsu network service provider titled "Notice on Cooperating with Operators for Provincial Network Security Special Governance Work" indicated that relevant departments are mandating IDC (Internet Data Centre) service providers to comply through the operator system, fully and directly enforcing a ban on end-users' access to overseas sites. On April 8, an emergency notice from Shaanxi Telecom regarding the comprehensive ban on overseas traffic and strict prohibition of VPN services stated that, effective immediately, access to addresses outside the mainland (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) is completely prohibited, and any VPN services are strictly forbidden.
Simultaneously, there is a significant crackdown on the public's ability to bypass internet censorship. On April 5, a user on the Chinese social media platform 'Hongdi' posted, 'A university classmate was summoned to the police station for bypassing the wall.' Many users on the X platform reported that their VPNs were no longer functional.
On April 6, multiple media outlets reported that Apple Inc. had officially removed the instant messaging app Bitchat from the China App Store, following a formal request from the Chinese Communist Party's Cyberspace Administration. This app had previously been utilised in protests in Iran, Nepal, Uganda, and other regions to circumvent internet restrictions and facilitate communication. Additionally, the TestFlight Beta version of the app in China has also been discontinued.
Some netizens remarked, 'Xi Jinping is rapidly pushing us back to North Korea.' Others expressed, 'Some birds are destined to never be caged; every feather they possess shines with the light of freedom!'
Conclusion
The Chinese Communist Party has committed numerous wrongdoings and continues to live in fear of being eliminated. As we approach 2026, with significant changes in both domestic and international landscapes, the moment of 'party extinction' is becoming increasingly imminent. The CCP's fear has reached a pathological level, leading to the continuous implementation of 'internal control and external defence' measures. However, this is akin to a beast trapped in a swamp; the more it struggles, the quicker its demise.
--Dajiyuan
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