State Control and Repression Drive Citizens to Flee China

Photo: China - Alex Healing

State-directed repression in China operates across every dimension of public and private life — from the control of information and religion to the suppression of labour rights and ethnic minority cultures. Under Xi Jinping's leadership since 2013, the machinery of the one-party state has been significantly reinforced, with new laws expanding the definitions of national security offences and enabling prosecutions of a wider range of dissenting behaviour. This report draws on CECC, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and UN Special Procedures documentation.

Legal Tools of Repression

The Chinese government uses a broad arsenal of legal instruments to silence dissent. The Law on the Protection of State Secrets, the Counter-Espionage Law (expanded in 2023), the Cybersecurity Law, and the National Security Law (Hong Kong, 2020) all contain vague provisions that can criminalise ordinary journalism, academic research, or contact with foreign organisations. "Residential surveillance at a designated location" — a form of incommunicado detention — allows authorities to hold suspects for up to six months without access to family or lawyers of their choice.[1]

Hong Kong: Dismantling of Freedoms

The 2020 National Security Law fundamentally transformed Hong Kong's political and civil landscape. Over 260 individuals have been arrested under the NSL, with prominent activists Jimmy Lai, Joshua Wong, and dozens of others receiving lengthy sentences. The opposition has been effectively eliminated through NSL prosecutions and a reformed electoral system requiring "patriots only" to stand for office. At least 140 civil society organisations — including trade unions, professional associations, and media outlets — have dissolved under NSL pressure.[2]

Hong Kong's free press, independent judiciary, and civil society — which once distinguished it from mainland China — have been systematically dismantled under the National Security Law.
Human Rights Watch, World Report 2024 — China/Hong Kong

Suppression of Labour Rights

Independent trade unions are banned in China, with the state-controlled All-China Federation of Trade Unions serving as the only legally permitted labour organisation. Workers who attempt to organise independently face arrest and lengthy imprisonment. A wave of labour activist arrests in 2018–2019, following worker solidarity with student activists at Jasic Technology, resulted in sentences of up to five years for union organisers in their twenties.[3]

Asylum and Protection Considerations

Chinese nationals who have publicly expressed political dissent, engaged in labour organising, practised religion outside approved channels, or belong to ethnic minorities in Xinjiang or Tibet face well-documented persecution risks. The CCP's use of transnational repression — including "Operation Fox Hunt" to pursue fugitives abroad — further reinforces that Chinese authorities continue to pose risks to individuals even after they leave the country.[4]