News Desk
China’s passport ranking has plummeted to 115th globally, causing boycotts and increased discrimination against Chinese travellers. Reflecting on luxury, one man noted that the most expensive item isn’t an heirloom or exotic car, but the Chinese passport. Meant to be a gateway to the world’s safest, most affluent areas, this notion is often propagated by domestic Chinese videos stirring patriotic fervour. However, the reality of its value is increasingly questioned.
A visitor frequently traveling through Tanzania’s airports has noted that Chinese passport holders receive special treatment, albeit not the kind anyone would desire. The visitor noted that during an entire afternoon of filming, no European or American travellers were asked to open their luggage. On the other hand, the Chinese travellers who were checked paid 200,000 shillings (approximately $77 USD) and continued on their way. It appeared that the Western travellers were not subject to these checks, unlike the Chinese.
This treatment has led many Chinese travellers to question the narrative of respect and power associated with their passports. Unlike the glamorous depictions in Chinese action films like Wolf Warrior, the reality often involves suspicion, special scrutiny, and blatant discrimination. Some attribute this to the behaviour of certain Chinese tourists, which has fostered negative stereotypes. For example, a Chinese man recently tried to bribe customs officers in Indonesia by slipping 500,000 Indonesian rupiahs (about $30.60 USD) into his passport and then boasted about his “great Chinese tradition” online. This incident sparked widespread controversy in Indonesia, leading to his deportation and permanent ban from re-entry.
Australia, too, has its share of stories. At customsan elderly Chinese man claiming to have nothing to declare, only for inspectors to find 15 kg of prohibited food items in his luggage, including tea leaves, dried mushrooms, walnuts, beef, and dates. The customs officers were polite, but the man responded with curses and even spat in the trash can, displaying an arrogant and provocative attitude. He was fined $340 AUD and warned that failure to pay would result in a court appearance within two hours. The man then tried to bargain, offering $200 AUD instead, leaving everyone speechless.
China has a population of 1.4 billion people, but only 200 million hold passports. A significant portion of these passport holders have never travelled or lived abroad, so they lack first-hand experience of the true international power of a Chinese passport. Many blindly believe in the narrative of the Chinese passport’s strength, but when they finally travel abroad, they face a harsh reality that can be quite shocking.
One traveller expressed disappointment, questioning whether Chinese people had yet gained international respect. He described an experience of unfair treatment at the airport while flying back to China. He noted that passports from countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand permitted passage through automated gates. He found this understandable for Japan and South Korea as well, but was baffled as to why Taiwan was included on this list, questioning the implications of this inclusion.
Another traveller recounted a frustrating yet amusing story. While his foreign colleagues planned a trip to Hong Kong and discovered that U.S. passport holders enjoy a 90-day visa-free stay, and Russians 14 days, he faced a different reality. With his Chinese passport, he needed a special travel permit for Hong Kong and Macau, applied for two weeks in advance and valid for only seven days. His colleagues were baffled, questioning why such a requirement existed for Hong Kong, part of China.
The global passport ranking website recently published its 2025 passport power rankings, ranking China 115th out of 195 countries, failing to make the top 100. A commentator sarcastically noted that China’s claim of 150 visa-free countries applies only to diplomatic and official passports, not those of average citizens.
Domestically, the Chinese passport can cause problems. A traveller posted on TikTok about her passport being cancelled by hometown authorities before a trip to Qatar. Informed at airport security, she contacted her local Public Security Bureau, who explained that it was due to concerns about overseas scams. Upset, she noted she had never faced such an issue before, disrupting her travel plans.
Many Chinese citizens, facing troubles at international borders, are left puzzled. They wonder why Chinese travellers are still mistreated despite China’s supposed strength. Bloggers suggest this is due to Beijing’s money diplomacy, where China spends heavily on foreign aid, especially in Africa, to gain political support. This has led to the misconception that Chinese people are wealthy and gullible, making them easy targets for exploitation.
Even a well-known nationalist commentator recently lashed out, calling the Chinese government “shameless” for trying to appear powerful internationally while failing to unify Taiwan for 72 years. He criticized the government for spending billions annually to get small, impoverished countries to acknowledge Taiwan as part of China.
