China’s people-to-people exchanges will diminish

Significance

The government has eased inbound travel restrictions, but China’s intelligence and security services are warning of foreign espionage -- in line with broader anti-foreign and nationalist sentiment fomented by state media narratives -- and data security laws continue to tighten. Meanwhile, violent attacks on foreigners appear to have increased.

Impacts

• Restrictions on Chinese engagement with foreigners will likely not be relaxed.
• Bureaucracy will continue to limit opportunities for foreigners to study at Chinese universities and engage with local experts.
• Foreign organisations -- especially Japanese and US -- will factor low albeit growing xenophobic violence into risk mitigation planning.