China is tightening restrictions on overseas travel for leading artificial intelligence specialists working at private companies such as Alibaba and DeepSeek. According to Bloomberg sources, the authorities increasingly view such engineers and researchers as a strategic resource amid the technological rivalry with the United States.
State agencies have begun imposing restrictions on employees involved in advanced AI development. They must now obtain government approval before traveling abroad. The measures affect entrepreneurs, researchers, and senior executives working in sectors considered especially sensitive by the state.
Chinese authorities had previously restricted foreign travel for scientists, defense-industry personnel, and executives at state-owned companies. But this is the first time such measures have been applied on this scale to employees in the private technology sector.
Bloomberg sources say the decision to place someone under travel restrictions depends not only on their position or employer, but also on an assessment of their importance to the country’s technological interests.
The new measures reflect Beijing’s growing view of top AI specialists as strategic assets. Much of China’s AI elite emerged after the arrival of ChatGPT, primarily within major technology companies and startups.
At the same time, the restrictions could complicate Chinese companies’ competition for talent. For many engineers, working in the global technology industry involves participation in international projects, conferences, and the ability to move freely between countries.
The situation is also fueling concerns about growing state intervention in the private technology sector. Those concerns intensified after Beijing reportedly demanded that Meta abandon its planned $2 billion acquisition of the AI startup Manus.
Manus was founded in China but later moved its headquarters to Singapore. The proposed deal triggered a sharp reaction in Beijing, where it was viewed as a transfer of technology and talent abroad.
Following the controversy, Chinese authorities restricted American investments in sensitive technology companies and, as previously reported by the Financial Times, barred two Manus co-founders from leaving the country during the investigation into the deal.
Bloomberg sources emphasize that the current travel restrictions are not necessarily directly connected to the Manus case, although preventing technology leakage remains one of Beijing’s central priorities.
For many engineers, this may ultimately mean choosing between an international career and working inside China.
Some AI specialists had already been required to notify authorities about foreign travel, though prior approval was not always mandatory.
In 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese authorities had advised leading AI developers and startup founders to avoid traveling to the United States, although at the time there was no formal ban.