The screen of a laptop with the word “VPN” written in the search field of the Chinese search engine Baidu, taken on March 30, 2018. Fred Dufour/AFP via Getty ImagesChina has sharply intensified its internet controls in recent weeks, moving to block the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and restrict access to overseas websites, according to leaked documents, user accounts, and official statements. It’s part of what analysts describe as a broader tightening driven by the regime’s rising internal and external pressures.The clampdown, which began escalating in early April, combines regulatory changes, enforcement actions, and technical measures aimed at limiting how Chinese users bypass the country’s extensive online censorship system, often referred to as the “Great Firewall of China.”Tightening Digital BordersOn April 8, China’s top internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, convened a national meeting in Beijing focused on advancing internet-related legislation and strengthening governance, including in cross-border data flows.
China Escalates Clampdown on VPNs and Cross-Border Internet Access
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