Ban Them! Chinese Little Pinks Banned, Travel in Tears from Global Disdain

China's passport boycotted globally, Chinese travelers humiliated like criminals, disdained everywhere they go. Our government lied to us, Chinese little pinks travel to Iran, Russia, Pakistan, crying because they are disdained and treated the worst. China's prices are plummeting at breakneck speed with vegetables and fruits worth mere cents going completely ignored and dumped as garbage. All industries plunge into deep depression. Tsai faces the darkest moment within the party? Reports say. His diplomacy is restricted? Trump's words suspected of double meaning. Kill the communist bandits on August 15. Another major live broadcast blunder on CCTV. You're watching Decoding China, where we bring you timely analysis and grounded perspectives on today's China. China's passport boycotted globally, Chinese travelers humiliated like criminals, disdained everywhere they go. Contrary to the CCP's propaganda, claiming the Chinese passport is a golden ticket to the world with access to 150 countries, many Chinese travelers face a harsh reality. They constantly endure humiliating interrogations at customs, repeated visa rejections, and the painful realization that their passport evokes suspicion rather than respect. Why is this happening? Many people have posted videos sharing their experiences. As someone who once held Chinese citizenship and a Chinese passport, the only feeling I had was being heavily discriminated against. It was humiliating. As a single woman from communist China carrying that passport in hand, wherever you went, people looked at you with suspicion. When applying for visas to developed countries, they scrutinized every detail, even investigating your family background for generations, as if you were a criminal. The sense of insult and degradation made many Chinese citizens with that dark red passport feel looked down upon everywhere they went. A country's passport is often seen as a reflection of its diplomatic power and global reputation. But for many Chinese citizens, their passport has become a symbol of failure. They say that carrying it abroad is a source of shame, as it represents how unwelcome their country is internationally. In contrast, Taiwan's passport offers visa-free access to more than 140 countries, including the United States and many developed nations. Many Chinese people admit that their passport ranks among the least useful in the world. Not only are visa restrictions severe, but Chinese citizens also frequently face difficulties even in countries that offer visa-free entry. Recently, a Chinese traveler was denied entry to Singapore despite the visa-free policy. She reported being detained in a holding room and suffering over 10,000 yuan, about $100 or $400 USD, in losses, despite having traveled alone to dozens of European countries before. She said it was absurd to be refused entry for not having a valid visa, since Singapore officially allows visa-free travel for Chinese citizens. This is not an isolated case. A 38-year-old Chinese man named Jen was stopped at Changi Airport in Singapore. When officers attempted to escort him onto a plane for deportation, he resisted, shouted, and even spat at immigration officers. He was later sentenced to eight weeks in prison for assaulting a public servant and disturbing public order. Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere. A Chinese traveler stuck between the Thai and Lao borders said he was refused entry despite Thailand being visa-free. They said there's no reason. They just didn't want me in. I'm stuck between two countries and don't know what to do, he said tearfully. Many Chinese travelers also report being extorted or harassed abroad. One traveler in Egypt said that at Cairo Airport, officials demanded a $5 to $10 USD tip to let Chinese nationals through. Those who refused were deliberately delayed. According to him, this treatment targeted only Chinese travelers, while others passed freely. However, the difficulties aren't only abroad. Even renewing or applying for passports within China has become increasingly difficult. A resident from Hunan shared that his elderly parents were denied passport renewal, despite their passports being valid until 2026. Authorities demanded employment verification, visa documents, and a written justification from their son before even considering the request. Many elderly citizens, and even those with proper documentation, have been refused new passports. Since July this year, China's exit restrictions have tightened further. Reports say that several passengers attempting to fly to Armenia were stopped from leaving the country. Even government officials and financial sector employees are now facing severe travel restrictions. In addition, banks have been ordered to confiscate employees' passports, store them centrally, and prohibit personal possession. The Chinese government began this practice two years ago, targeting two main groups—powerful financial executives to prevent capital flight, and senior technical experts with access to sensitive information. Since early 2024, an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Chinese nationals have been entering Southeast Asia daily for tourism or business. In Laos alone, Chinese arrivals increased by over 900 percent in the first half of 2024. Debates over the value of the Chinese passport resurfaced after a viral post comparing the U.S. and Chinese passports. The American passport states, Wherever you may be, the government of the United States will stand behind you. The Chinese passport, meanwhile, reads, Please strictly observe local laws and respect local customs. Although Chinese state media dismissed the comparison as fake, many citizens said it felt painfully accurate. Shanghai-based lawyer Yu Fang argued that requiring civil servants to surrender their passports to their employers violates basic human rights. She said, A passport is a travel document issued by the state, not by one's workplace. It is neither legal nor reasonable for an employer to restrict a citizen's right to leave the country. According to her, in an authoritarian system, the ability to keep one's passport has become a privilege, a reward for loyalty rather than a fundamental right. Our government lied to us Chinese little pinks travel to Iran, Russia, Pakistan, crying because they are disdained and treated the worst. China aggressively hypes its ironclad brotherhood with Iran, touting it as a crown jewel in its Middle East power plays. Beijing obtains resources like Iranian crude oil while bankrolling Tehran's rogue nuclear program with cash, tech, weapons, and spy intel. The CCP parades Iran, Russia, Pakistan, and Cambodia as loyal allies bonded by shared anti-Western agendas. But in reality, these sham partners brutally screw over Chinese citizens, shattering the propaganda facade. In Tehran, Iran, Chinese tourists say they are being ripped off. A Chinese travel blogger described buying a ticket there as a living hell. Staff gave vague directions, were rude, and there was no clear ticket counter. He said locals paid 6 million rial while he was charged 7 million, about 166 dollars USD. The man before me paid less, but when it was my turn, they raised the price. That's how they scam people here, he said, adding that in two months of traveling, Tehran was the city he hated the most. It wasn't just overcharging, he was even billed double when buying a bus ticket from Tehran to Kashan. While other Iranian cities were fair, he said Tehran made him feel discriminated against and helpless. Earlier when leaving Armenia for Iran, his group's car was stopped at the border after a local broker suddenly doubled the processing fee from a thousand dollar to two thousand dollar USD. Unable to reach a deal, they had to abandon the car and cross into Iran on foot. Once inside the country, he found traveling there extremely inconvenient due to international sanctions. Credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, or even China's UnionPay and WeChatPay didn't work. Tourists had to use local cash systems for all bookings and payments. Despite Beijing's long-standing promotion of its ironclad friendship with Iran, calling it a key Middle Eastern partner and oil supplier, the traveler's experience told a different story. Even taking a taxi here feels dangerous. I've heard of people being stabbed and in just 20 days there have been two robberies and one mugging, he said. Similar experiences are reported across China's so-called friendly nations. In Russia, Chinese students say they faced discrimination in dormitories. Their hot water was cut off and bathrooms locked, while Russian and Mongolian students could shower normally. One student said they could only bathe about 10 days per month. Since June, Russia has tightened visa checks, leading to deportations of Chinese nationals at Moscow's airports. Police have also been accused of extortion. A Chinese mother said, My son was detained by police at a gas station. They demanded 10,000 rubles, about $100,000 USD, and confiscated his phone. If your papers aren't perfect, you're finished. In Pakistan, described by Beijing as China's iron brother, Chinese engineers and workers have repeatedly been targeted in terrorist attacks. On March 26, 2024, a vehicle from a Chinese company working on a hydroelectric project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was bombed, killing five Chinese and one Pakistani worker. In October that same year, another explosion near Karachi airport killed two more Chinese workers. The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility, stating that Chinese nationals were their intended targets. This month, the Pakistani government announced it would review the agreements under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, sparking outrage among Chinese citizens. A victim's relative wrote on X, Our all-weather partner destroyed my family. What kind of friendship is this? Pakistan uses Chinese money to fix its economy but shifts all the security risks onto us. In Cambodia, which President Xi Jinping once called a close neighbor like family, several incidents involving Chinese nationals have caused alarm. On October 11, 2020, Cambodian police raided an online gambling ring and arrested 80 people, including 57 Chinese citizens who had allegedly been lured into the operation through fraud. One victim said he was kidnapped by acquaintances, beaten, threatened at gunpoint, and sold to a gambling company after being unable to pay his captors. His family was later extorted for over 200,000 yuan, around 27,000 USD. According to a June 2025 Amnesty International report, Cambodia hosts over 50 online fraud centers where tens of thousands of Chinese nationals are forced to work long hours, 14 to 17 hours per day, under threats and abuse. The United Nations estimates about 100,000 people in Cambodia are involved in online scam operations, most of them Chinese citizens. Despite frequent high-level meetings and slogans about friendship higher than mountains and deeper than the sea, the reality in Iran, Russia, Pakistan, and Cambodia paints a starkly different picture. Many Chinese nationals abroad say they feel abandoned, exploited, and unprotected. Public opinion in China is beginning to question whether these so-called iron friends truly stand with China, or if they exist only in political propaganda, while ordinary Chinese citizens face fear, discrimination, and danger far from home. China's prices are plummeting at breakneck speed, with vegetables and fruits worth mere cents going completely ignored and dumped as garbage. All industries plunge into deep depression. China's economy is in the dumps, with domestic demand tanking hard. Not just downgraded consumption, but extreme penny-pinching is the new trend. With pay cuts and cutthroat competition, people's material desires have plummeted. Hell, folks are even competing to be the poorest. Lately, Chinese fruit prices have cratered. The king of fruits, durian, has plunged from dozens of yuan per jin to just over 10, while even basic apples see sales nosedive. Fruit farmers are wailing. Nothing's selling this year. Apple prices have tanked brutally, and they're dumping at a loss with zero takers. Across wholesale markets, vendors continuously cut prices, yet buyers remain scarce. Mountains of produce rot unsold and are dumped as garbage. From urban shopkeepers to rural farmers, the same refrain echoes everywhere. We can't sell, and we can't survive. Prices have dropped to just a few jiao per jin, yet still no one is buying. Vendors stand helplessly beside their trucks, staring at crates of unsold produce. Even the lowest prices cannot attract buyers, while labor, logistics, and taxes continue to rise. In major markets like Jiangnan, business has ground to a halt. Stalls are empty, trucks have stopped coming, and merchants sit idle, exchanging weary glances in silence. The situation worsened after the Golden Week holiday. Despite China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism reporting 8.88 billion domestic trips and a total expenditure of 8.09 trillion yuan, the average spending per person hit its lowest level since the pandemic. People may be traveling more, but they are spending less, tightening their wallets in every aspect of life. Many small business owners who once relied on the holiday season to boost sales are now left disheartened, as their revenue has fallen even below ordinary days. In local markets, the atmosphere is bleak. Vendors open their shops at dawn and close at noon with barely a handful of customers. One fruit seller shared that she stood for hours and sold only two bananas. Grapefruits, apples, kiwis, and even durians, all once profitable goods, are now sold for pennies, yet they still sit unsold. The so-called king of fruits, durian, once commanding a premium price, now floods the market at around 10 yuan per gin. Wholesale sellers claim to be losing hundreds of thousands of yuan per shipment, and many have no choice but to sell off whatever they can to stop the bleeding. The problem extends far beyond fruit. Farmers growing scallions, raising crabs, or producing sugarcane and poultry are all suffering heavy losses. One farmer said bitterly, each mu of scallions loses 50,000 yuan. The produce is good, but no one buys it. Entire harvests are being abandoned in the fields. Areas that were once bustling during harvest season now lie silent, filled only with the sound of despair. Small shops and supermarkets are facing the same fate. Store owners report working full days while earning barely a few hundred yuan, nowhere near enough to cover rent that can reach hundreds of thousands per month. Even in densely populated residential areas and near subway stations, people no longer stop to eat or shop. Once busy streets are now eerily quiet, with stores standing empty. This is what it means when they say a store is as quiet as a temple, said one frustrated shopkeeper. Even renovated traditional markets, cleaner, more spacious, and equipped with parking, have lost their vitality. Once filled with noise, laughter, and queues of customers, these markets now echo with silence. The old markets were messy but full of life, like said a veteran vendor. Now they're beautiful but soulless. No one comes anymore. We don't know how to bring that energy back. Experts say this paints a stark picture of China's weakening economy, falling incomes, eroding consumer confidence, and growing household strain. Despite production recovery after COVID-19, job insecurity, wage cuts, and high living costs have forced people to tighten their spending drastically. What began as frugal consumption has turned into an era of extreme thrift, where consumers buy only the cheapest options and even take pride in out-saving each other. In the empty markets filled with unsold produce and exhausted vendors, the despair is palpable. Farmers, wholesalers, and small business owners alike are being crushed by collapsing demand and shrinking profit margins. For many, survival has become a daily struggle. As one vendor said, tears in her eyes, it's not that I don't want to work anymore, it's that I truly can't. Tsai faces the darkest moment within the party, reports say. His diplomacy is restricted, Trump's words suspected of double meaning. According to multiple sources, Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping appears to be going through the darkest moment of his political career. A series of reports suggest his power is being seriously challenged, from rumors of a stroke and restrictions on his overseas travel, to speculation that he may be forced to step down at the upcoming fourth plenary session of the CCP Central Committee. Recently, Fox News in the United States reported that Xi could hand over power during the fourth plenary session. In a segment featuring China expert Gordon Chang, the scholar revealed that according to information from the U.S. ambassador to China, President Donald Trump had planned to meet Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea later this October. However, the meeting was suddenly canceled, and it might not take place until 2026, only four days after Trump confirmed his attendance at APEC. U.S. Ambassador David Perdue publicly stated that the meeting may be postponed until next year. Analysts say this is not a minor diplomatic change, but a clear signal of internal turmoil within the CCP. Gordon Chang suggested that Xi may have been restricted from traveling abroad, possibly even placed under house arrest, or that he fears leaving China and not being allowed to return. It is also the first time that major Western media have openly used the phrase transfer of power in reference to Xi. According to Chang, there is a real possibility that Xi could lose both of his top positions, General Secretary of the CCP and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, at the upcoming plenary session. Meanwhile, several recent diplomatic developments have raised eyebrows. In early September, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un traveled to Beijing to attend China's 80th anniversary of the anti-Japanese war victory parade. By protocol, Xi Jinping should have attended North Korea's own 80th anniversary parade of the Workers' Party on October 10th, but he did not. Instead, Premier Lee Chang was sent in his place, fueling speculation that either Xi's health has seriously deteriorated or he has been restricted by the party's internal opposition. Similarly, Xi's planned visit to South Korea for APEC was also abruptly cancelled, even though hotel reservations had already been made at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul. South Korean media described this as an unusual adjustment in China's high-level foreign affairs. Commentators believe the anti-Xi faction may have imposed border controls to prevent him from seeking international support or attempting to flee abroad amid an unstable power situation. Reports also indicate that Xi's relationship with Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia, has severely deteriorated. Chang, together with Chief of Staff Liu Zhenli, is said to have taken control of security in Beijing and Zhongnanhai, placing the elite 82nd Group Army on high alert. Sources claim that this core central force no longer answers directly to Xi Jinping. Adding to the turmoil, independent political commentator Kai Shengkun disclosed that all CCP internal documents now require the signature of former Premier Wen Jiabao to take effect, a highly unusual move in the party system. Analysts say this effectively means Xi's central authority has broken down. On the health front, reports claim Xi recently suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. On October 13, however, he appeared at the opening of the Global Women's Summit in Beijing alongside his wife, Peng Liwan. Yet footage aired by China Central Television showed Xi speaking weakly, with a stiff expression and slow pace, while most of his remarks were read by the anchor. These signs fueled speculation that the stroke rumors may indeed be true. Notably, on October 12, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Chinese leader Xi Jinping is having a bad time, without elaborating further. Observers believe this message carried a double meaning, referring both to Xi's health and to his deteriorating political standing within the CCP. Despite his public appearances, many sources suggest Xi Jinping is struggling to project unity and control, even as he faces what could be the darkest and most precarious moment of his rule. Kill the Communist Bandits on August 15. Another major live broadcast blunder on CCTV. In recent days, both Chinese and Taiwanese public opinion have been paying close attention to an unusual incident that occurred on China Central Television's CCTV program Focus Interview. During the episode aired on October 12, a police officer from Xiamen City, Fujian Province, appeared on screen to criticize a mobile game developed by a Taiwanese team. However, what shocked viewers was that he read aloud a slogan from the game, Kill the Communist Bandits on August 15, live on national television. The incident quickly went viral on social media, with many calling it an unprecedented broadcast accident for CCTV. In the program, the officer accused the Taiwanese-developed mobile game Reverse War, flames of resistance, of promoting separatism, and negatively influencing young audiences. Pointing at the game footage, he said, We were deeply shocked when we saw this. He claimed the game arbitrarily divided China by labeling areas outside the Great Wall as Mongolia, Xinjiang in the Northwest as Turkic, the Southwest as Greater Tibet, and regions beyond Most notably, he highlighted that the game contained the slogan, Kill the Communist Bandits on August 15, which Chinese authorities labeled as reactionary and separatist. However, reading this slogan verbatim on national television left many Chinese viewers bewildered. According to Taiwan's Liberty Times, the broadcast came just one day after the Xiamen Public Security Bureau issued a wanted notice offering rewards for information about 18 Taiwanese military personnel allegedly belonging to a psychological warfare unit. Around the same time, CCTV aired another special episode titled Punishing the Separatists, focusing on Taiwan's new warfare unit, in which the same officer publicly recited the controversial slogan, causing some citizens to question whether the state broadcaster had accidentally aired the wrong footage. The developers of Reverse War, Flames of Resistance, quickly responded on their official Facebook page on October 14, stating, A historic moment has occurred. That man read aloud our in-game slogan in front of 1.4 billion people. Both sides have accomplished their missions. The team added sarcastically that they didn't care whether CCTV mentioned the game's name or not, because the broadcaster had already delivered a far more important message to the public. On Chinese social media, many netizens mocked CCTV for providing free advertising for the game. Some joked, I don't even play games, but now I want to try this one. While others commented, the person who read that slogan doesn't seem very ideologically firm. He could be persuaded to defect, and they're fighting among themselves. Observers noted that this incident reveals how Beijing's propaganda efforts can sometimes backfire. While the Chinese government seeks to suppress pro-Taiwan voices and control the narrative, its overreaction has instead amplified the message from Taiwan's side, unintentionally spreading it even further among mainland audiences.