The Chinese government announced new border regulations in late July in a move seen as expanding state control over its citizens. The new rules, which come into effect on September 15, tighten checks on travellers and provide new grounds for restricting Chinese citizens from leaving the country, including exit bans of up to three years in some cases.
In a document published on July 31, China's State Council announced that, in order to “preserve national sovereignty and interests”, border control officials could require travellers to provide additional information and documents about their reasons for travelling.
