China restricts AI researchers' overseas travel as geopolitical competition tightens
Source: Bloomberg
Chinese government agencies are now blocking exit visas for researchers at major tech companies like Alibaba and DeepSeek involved in advanced AI work, treating talent mobility as a national security issue rather than a career choice. This escalates beyond IP protection into direct human capital control—preventing brain drain while also signaling to the private sector that AI development is being absorbed into state strategy. The move mirrors Cold War-era restrictions and reflects Beijing's view of the AI race as a competition it cannot afford to lose.