South Korea’s SBS World News reports that since 15 September Chinese immigration officers have legal authority to require inbound and outbound passengers to unlock mobile phones and other electronic devices for inspection. The power is embedded in the same exit-entry decree but has received particular attention among Korean tourists who frequently enter China visa-free. Officials can request chat histories, photos, email or app data to verify that the traveller’s declared purpose matches electronic evidence. Travellers providing false information may face entry bans of up to five years, while Chinese citizens suspected of carrying data deemed sensitive could be added to an exit-ban watchlist. The development puts China in line with a growing number of jurisdictions—most notably the US, Australia and New Zealand—that allow device searches at the border, yet the breadth of China’s national-security definitions makes compliance especially challenging. Corporations organising group travel are warning employees to travel with “clean” phones or utilise temporary devices to reduce exposure of confidential data. Some law firms now advise clients to back up and wipe devices before departure and rely on secure cloud access once inside China. Frequent travellers should also review social-media footprints; past posts on politically sensitive topics may invite prolonged questioning if discovered during a device search. Privacy advocates argue the lack of clear guardrails around retention and use of harvested data could deter tourism and business visits just as China attempts to revive inbound travel volumes.
Source: SBS World News
