"China Expands Exit Restrictions to Families of Key AI Talent"

[Financial News] Chinese authorities are reportedly expanding to the families of key artificial intelligence (AI) talent at private companies the restrictions on overseas travel imposed on such personnel. The move is understood to be aimed at comprehensively blocking in advance the outflow of key technologies and personnel to Western countries, including the United States.
Foreign media reported on the 28th, local time, that Chinese government agencies had recently begun notifying founders of prominent startups and executives at strategically important AI-related companies of the expanded restrictions on overseas travel.
In particular, the spouses, children and other immediate family members of some executives at AI and semiconductor companies who work in roles deemed directly linked to national security must obtain prior approval from the authorities even for short trips abroad.
This represents a further expansion of the existing restrictions on leaving the country that have been imposed on influential Chinese professionals in advanced technology.
China has reportedly restricted overseas travel by key AI personnel at private companies such as Alibaba Group and DeepSeek since the beginning of this year.
The move appears intended to prevent key technologies from being taken overseas, particularly to the United States, as China makes rapid technological advances in AI and semiconductors.
Separately, China has been enforcing regulations since the 15th that allow authorities to restrict people from leaving the country for various reasons, ranging from investigations into criminal cases to potential violations of industrial and technological security. Chinese authorities plan to add relevant individuals to the list of people subject to exit restrictions depending on how the situation develops.
Government ministries have reportedly already notified some people subject to the restrictions that their families must also obtain prior approval for overseas travel.
China has also restricted the overseas travel of nationally important personnel, including researchers at major universities, nuclear scientists and executives at state-owned enterprises. Their families have faced similar restrictions as well.
Recently, however, China has expanded the scope of the restrictions to include key personnel at private technology companies and their families, further tightening its oversight.
This is because Chinese authorities view top-tier personnel in AI and advanced technology as strategic assets that could determine the country's national competitiveness.
In particular, many of China's top AI talent have developed their careers around major domestic technology companies and private startups since the emergence of ChatGPT. As a result, Chinese authorities have become increasingly vigilant about the potential outflow of technology and talent involving these individuals.

[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, international affairs specialist Reporter