She was about to marry the love of her life, a foreign man she met at an overseas airport, who’d asked for her number and quickly followed up. But instead of congratulating their long-time colleague, her co-workers, under the orders of their department head, urged her to think again.
Was he worth her losing her job? Along with millions of other Chinese government employees, the woman, whose name was not disclosed due to the sensitivity of the matter, is bound by a long-standing rule that bans civil servants, or anyone who possesses “significant secrets,” from marrying foreigners.
And it’s not just marriage. Since Chinese leader Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, many aspects of personal life for members of the Communist Party or the state sector, from divorce to travel and social activities, have come under increasing scrutiny.
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