China extended travel curbs to spouses and children of top AI and chip executives. They now need Beijing’s approval to travel abroad. The rule applies even for short trips. Government agencies have begun notifying affected people. The curbs cover prominent startup founders and heads of key AI firms. Beijing considers their work vital to state security. It is unclear if all existing curbed executives’ families are covered. Beijing plans to add more people to the list over time. The move widens earlier curbs on private-sector AI staff. The aim is to prevent key know-how from flowing to the US. It is not an outright travel ban. Separate exit ban rules took effect on 15 September. They cover cases from criminal probes to tech security breaches.