Transnational repression operations expanded significantly during 2025, with authoritarian governments increasingly targeting dissidents, activists, and critics beyond their borders, according to comprehensive analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations.
China's Leading Role
The assessment identifies China as the primary actor in transnational repression campaigns, with Chinese operations specifically targeting exile communities within the United States. "Chinese transnational repression inside the United States—of exiled dissidents, activists, and ordinary citizens—represents one of the most significant challenges to American sovereignty and human rights," the analysis concluded.
Expanding Global Reach
The 2025 expansion represents a troubling escalation in the scope and sophistication of cross-border persecution efforts. Multiple governments have systematically developed capabilities to monitor, intimidate, and silence critics living in foreign countries, undermining traditional concepts of territorial sovereignty and refugee protection.
Southeast Asian Surge
UN experts documented a particular surge in transnational repression targeting human rights defenders from China and Southeast Asia. Joint communications to China, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) detailed extensive cross-border intimidation campaigns.
Impact on Democratic Systems
The expansion of transnational repression poses direct threats to democratic institutions and the rule of law in target countries. These operations undermine asylum systems, intimidate diaspora communities, and create parallel enforcement mechanisms that bypass legal protections.
Future Trajectory
Analysis indicates that transnational repression campaigns will continue to intensify, with authoritarian governments viewing cross-border persecution as an essential tool for maintaining domestic control and projecting power internationally.