The partner was denied a Dutch visa twice and Kang asked for Dutch diplomatic intervention.

In a letter of information addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Beijing, Kang Fok-chung, a Dutch citizen, stated that his long-term partner, Zhang Zhang Zheng Yiung, had been prevented from leaving the country by the Chinese border authorities at Beijing and Qingdao airports on 10 October 2020 and 29 September 2026, when he was on two occasions preparing for the Netherlands with a valid Dutch visa. Kang Fook-chul stated that the border guards had provided oral explanations on grounds of national security, but had not provided a formal written decision. Concerned about the restrictions related to his political activities in the Netherlands, he requested the Government to seek information on the legal basis through diplomatic channels and to assist in ending the long-term separation of the two persons.

The text of Kang Fook-chul ' s statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Embassy of China is the original of the statement:

Brief on request for diplomatic attention and assistance from the Government of the Netherlands regarding the two denials of the departure of his partner by the Chinese authorities

To: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

and to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the People ' s Republic of China

Distinguished Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant Embassy officials:

I am Kang Fok-chung, a Dutch citizen of Shandong Qingdao, China. I was sentenced to eight years ' imprisonment for political persecution and for the political persecution of the China Democratic Movement in

1. I left China in 2018 to come to the Netherlands and have lived in the Netherlands since then.

Today, with a heavy heart and a heart, I am presenting to the Dutch Government my long-standing partner, Ms. Zhang Zhang Zhongyung, who twice held a valid Dutch visa and was repeatedly prevented from leaving the country by the Chinese authorities, and I request the necessary diplomatic attention and assistance from the Dutch Foreign Ministry and the Embassy in Beijing.

I. STAYING BUSINESS BUSINESS AND FAMILY

Ms. Zhang Jiyong is a Chinese citizen and currently resides in Qingdao City, Shandong Province. We have lived together since 2016 and have established stable and sustainable partnerships.

In 2018, I left China for the Netherlands due to my special political experience and reality. Since then, we have been forced to live in a long separation.

In order to achieve normal family reunification, we have always hoped that, through legal means, Ms. Zhang Jianying will be able to come to the Netherlands and live with me.

Our desire is simple: to look after each other in later years and to end a long-term separation.

However, that aspiration has not yet been realized.

First Dutch visa granted in 2020, but prevented from leaving Beijing Airport

In 2019, we followed the relevant procedures in the Netherlands in accordance with the provisions on family reunification.

Ms. Zhang ' s application for family reunification was approved after examination by the Netherlands Immigration and Naturalization Service.

On 13 August 2020, she was granted a permanent residence visa (MVV) by the Netherlands.

This means that she has obtained entry permits to the Netherlands in accordance with the Dutch legal procedures.

On 10 October 2020, Ms. Zhang was preparing to leave Beijing Airport for the Netherlands with a valid passport, a Dutch visa and an international air ticket.

However, she was prevented from leaving the airport by the Chinese border control authorities.

The persons concerned verbally informed that she was suspected of endangering national security and could not leave the country and requested that she cancel her trip.

According to her, no formal written decision setting out the specific facts, the legal basis and the avenues of redress was made available to her at that time.

As a result, family reunification arrangements, which had been approved by the Netherlands, had been interrupted.

He was again granted a Dutch visa in 2026, but was prevented from leaving the country for the second time at Aoshima Airport.

Six years later, we have not given up our desire to meet through legitimate means.

On 14 September 2026, Ms. Zhang was again granted a Schengen short-term visa issued by the Netherlands, valid from 28 September 2026 to 10 January 2027.

On 29 September 2026, she was preparing to leave the airport of Qingdao with a valid passport, a Schengen visa and an international air ticket.

However, she was again prevented from leaving the country by the Chinese border control authorities.

The person concerned continued to give an oral explanation on grounds such as national security, but she was not provided with a formal written decision, nor was she explicitly informed of the duration of the limitation and the conditions for its lifting.

In the contacts, the Chinese authorities also referred to their own political activities in the Netherlands.

This gives me reason to fear that the restrictions on the departure of Ms. Zhang may not be based on her own specific behaviour, but on her political expression and public activities in the Netherlands.

I must stress that Ms. Zhang has not personally engaged in my political activities and has not engaged in any acts that I know endangering national security.

IV. MY SERIOUS CONCERN ON THE DIRECTIVE EXPORT RESTRICTIONS

First, the two incidents occurred at different airports and airports, almost six years apart, but the results were identical.

Secondly, on both occasions, Ms. Zhang held a valid visa issued by the Dutch authorities in accordance with the law, for a clear purpose, not to illegal immigrants or to circumvent normal border management.

Third, according to her, the Chinese authorities have not provided her with a formal written decision on the basis of which she could apply for review or relief.

It is even more worrying that if the restrictions are indeed linked to my political activities in the Netherlands, a Chinese citizen who is not politically active may be adversely affected by the political expression of his partner abroad.

I understand that States have the competence to regulate the departure of their citizens from the country in accordance with the law. However, restrictions on national security should also have the appropriate legal basis and be subject to review in accordance with the law.

If my partner is prevented from going out of the country for a long time because of his legal freedom of expression and his participation in peaceful public activities in the Netherlands, this situation may involve not only family life but also cross-border pressure on relatives of political activists abroad.

I respectfully request the Government of the Netherlands to give this careful attention.

V. REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE NETHERLANDS FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE OBSERVER IN BEIJING

On the basis of the above facts, I have the honour to submit the following request to the Government of the Netherlands:

First, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was requested to give formal attention to the case.

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs is kindly requested to review the facts and evidence provided by itself to assess whether this prolonged family separation involved undue restrictions on the exit and related pressures arising from political activities abroad.

Secondly, the request is to seek information from the Chinese authorities through appropriate diplomatic channels.

If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers it feasible, please ask the relevant Chinese authorities, through the Dutch Embassy in Beijing or other appropriate channels, why Ms. Zhang was prevented from leaving the country twice, the legal basis for the restrictions in question, and whether the restrictions still remain in force.

Third, the request was made to focus on the continuing impact of the restrictions on the exit of the country on family life.

The family is also in their old age. Long-term separation prevents both sides from living together, caring for each other and has brought us constant mental stress and economic loss.

The Government is kindly requested to consider the long-term separation of families and humanitarian considerations in its assessment of the case.

Fourthly, the request assesses whether there are appropriate forms of diplomatic assistance.

In the event that the Chinese authorities fail to indicate the specific grounds for the restrictions or that the restrictions are no longer legally necessary, the Government of the Netherlands is kindly requested to consider appropriate diplomatic means to urge the relevant Chinese authorities to review and lift the restrictions in accordance with the law.

Fifth, the request provides a channel for formal admissibility and submission of evidence.

I have two Dutch visas, information on the flight and itinerary, and Ms. Zhang ' s statement of the two prevented departures.

As the Chinese authorities did not provide her with a formal written border control decision, I was unable to submit such documents.

Relevant background reports and official information