Chinese asylum-seekers grow at an alarming rate under Xi Jinping's rule: report

Beijing: An alarming number of people want to leave China since President Xi Jinping came to power. A recent report claimed the rate of asylum seekers from China is worrying.

The report was published by NGO Safeguard Defenders. The website of the organisation states that President Xi has consolidated his power and is introducing a more oppressive system of governance. This is causing an increase in the number of asylum seekers.

Since 2012, around 730,000 Chinese nationals have sought asylum abroad. Over 170,000 citizens are already living abroad under refugee status. The US is the most popular choice among refugees and 88,722 applicants from mainland China were accepted in 2021. 15,774 asylum-seekers were accepted by Australia. Thousands of people are also applying to Canada, Brazil, South Korea, and the UK, stated the report.

Researcher Jing-jie Chen said the data shows the impact of Xi's zero-Covid policy involving lockdowns and draconian restrictions. He alleged that the rules are putting restrictions on people's movements under the disguise of disease control and prevention.

"China has basically been in a state of lockdown during the past couple of years. Many people are voting with their feet and opting to emigrate from China, either through overseas study or investment visas and residency cards," said Chen.

Hong Kong Post noted that the systemic misuse of power is causing discomfort in Chinese citizens' minds and they are choosing to move abroad. The NGO opined that seeking asylum is a desperate act.

The report added that people leaving China are also afraid of translational repression. The Chinese government has been using the SkyNet surveillance program to routinely track, harass, threaten, and repatriate people who leave the country. The programme is mainly used to forcibly bring back Uyghurs fleeing Xinjiang.

Now, political dissidents, rights activists, journalists, and former officials are also at risk of being tracked and brought back.

The report noted that a coordinated international operation called "Operation Foxhunt" is in existence to force Chinese nationals to return home. It is being described as the global oppression of dissidents.

Between 2014 to 2021, Xi Jinping's government has brought back around 10,000 people from 120 countries. 60% of them are deported against their will and only 1% are brought back as per judicial procedures.

Activists campaigning for greater transparency and democracy in the country have been put through repatriation and closed-door trials for state subversion.