Claims of Forced Citizenship Emerge as China Tightens Exit Controls - Vision Times
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently announced that new Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration will take effect on Sept. 15, promptingwidespread concernand discussion among Chinese communities at. . .
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently announced that new Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration will take effect on Sept. 15, promptingwidespread concernand discussion among Chinese communities at home and abroad. Meanwhile, the widely circulated online case of a naturalizedJapanese businessmanof Chinese origin who was allegedly forced to restore his Chinese citizenship has returned to the spotlight following new claims that have reignited public discussion. An individual claiming to work within China’s immigration system alleged on an overseas platform that he had encountered more than 100 cases involving the restoration of Chinese nationality this year. The individual pointed to a circulating nationality-restoration certificate bearing the number “1038” and suggested that it could indicate a much larger number of restoration cases. The individual further alleged that many such restorations were involuntary. Vision Times couldn’t independently verify his claims. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERFor the best of our weekly content！There is something wrong, please try again laterSuccessYou are now signed up for our newsletterSuccessCheck your email to complete sign upForced restoration of Chinese citizenship may be more widespread than previously knownThe recent case involving a Chinese-born businessman who later became a naturalized Japanese citizen has drawn even greater public attention. On Aug. 2, the X account “罗翔——拆幕推墙” (Luo Xiang—Demolishing the Curtain, Tearing Down the Wall) reposted a submission from a netizen. The contributor claimed to have immigrated to Japan 13 years ago and to have operated a business there for more than 20 years. In July, he returned to China with his family to visit relatives. According to his account, as the family was preparing to fly back to Japan, they were stopped before boarding and taken away for questioning. The submission alleges that family members were held separately and interrogated for seven days in what the author described as a “black room” (i. e. , an undisclosed interrogation facility). During that time, officials allegedly pressured him repeatedly to renounce his Japanese citizenship and restore his Chinese nationality, warning that otherwise his children could face serious consequences in the future. According to the account, he ultimately read a statement on camera declaring that he was “voluntarily restoring Chinese nationality,” after which he was issued a Certificate of Restoration of Chinese Nationality. The contributor further claimed that, following the incident, his bank accounts, digital payment platforms, and various online services were restricted. When he later visited the public security bureau to complete related procedures, he was allegedly informed that he would be prohibited from leaving China for the next ten years. The contributor stated that his family of five had lived in Japan for more than a decade, that his company had assets approaching RMB 80 million (approximately US$11 million) and employed more than 40 people. He said that after the incident, the company’s operations were brought to an almost immediate standstill. Growing anxiety among overseas ChineseIt is noteworthy that both the businessman’s account and the widespread public reaction it generated reflect the growing unease among overseas Chinese communities. In the past, many believed that obtaining a foreign nationality would provide greater legal protection. However, as reports of “restoration of Chinese nationality” and exit restrictions continue to emerge, more people are beginning to reconsider a fundamental question:When a person’s identity, assets, and family remain closely connected to China, how much protection can a foreign nationality actually provide?According to a report published byWenxuecity, the case has resonated widely because concern extends beyond the fate of a single businessman, with some overseas Chinese fearing they could face similar treatment. The report quoted an individual claiming to work within China’s public security system as warning overseas Chinese who still hold assets in China and are trying to “benefit from both sides” to be cautious. He further argued that many Chinese assume they will not personally become targets of the authorities until it happens to them, suggesting that the businessman in this case had held a similar view before his situation changed. According to the report, people who have acquired foreign citizenship while continuing to maintain assets and business interests in China are increasingly viewed as a group attracting official attention. Those seeking to preserve interests on both sides may need to exercise greater caution in the future. RELATED:‘A Digital Data Prison Is Being Built’: China’s New Exit-Entry Regulations Shock Overseas Chinese CommunitiesChina’s New Exit Rules Spark Fears of a New Era of ‘Closing the Country Off’Thousands of China’s Travel Agencies Face Uncertainty Under New Immigration RulesThe new regulations: Border control or social stability?Under the CCP’s newly announced regulations, individuals deemed likely to endanger national industrial security or technological security may be prohibited from leaving the country. The regulations repeatedly use the word “may” (可能). In practice, this means that even without evidence of an actual legal violation, a person could be prevented from departing if authorities determine that they present a potential risk. In addition, individuals found to have engaged in activities overseas that are deemed to have “endangered national security or national interests” could face exit restrictions lasting several years after returning to China. According to an Aug. 5Wenxuecityreport, legal experts and other observers warned that the new rules significantly broaden authorities’ discretion to impose exit restrictions, raising concerns that ordinary citizens may not know when or why they could become subject to such controls. The individual claiming to be a public security officerfurther allegedthat the new regulations are driven less by administrative concerns than by authorities’ efforts to respond to China’s economic slowdown and mounting capital outflow pressures. He claimed that since the COVID-19 pandemic, China’s economy has continued to weaken, with problems such as foreign investment withdrawal, shrinking foreign trade, and worsening employment becoming increasingly apparent. At the same time, he said, more people have been seeking ways to emigrate abroad or move their assets overseas. In his view, what the authorities fear most is not ordinary citizens traveling overseas, but the continued outflow of talent, capital, and businesses. “If the authorities continue allowing capital and talent to leave the country, the situation will only get worse,” he said. He further asserted that the cost of maintaining social stability has continued to rise, while local governments are facing mounting fiscal pressure, leaving the authorities with little choice but to tighten exit controls. The source summed up what he described as the CCP’s current predicament with a striking analogy: “For someone who is starving to death, saving face is no longer important. ”The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Vision Times.