China has intensified its control over AI professionals by restricting travel to the US for senior executives at private AI firms. By March 2025, Chinese authorities advised these professionals to avoid US trips to prevent potential leaks of sensitive information. This advisory escalated in July 2025 when employees at DeepSeek, a leading AI lab, were required to surrender passports if involved in sensitive research. In a notable case, Beijing banned the CEO and chief scientist of Manus, a Singapore-based AI firm with Chinese leadership, from leaving China in March 2026. This move followed a proposed $2 billion acquisition by Meta, highlighting China's stance on protecting its AI talent and technology from foreign acquisition. These measures underscore Beijing's commitment to retaining its AI human capital amid global competition.