China’s Civil Service Expansion Targets the West—A Hidden Threat to National Security?
A growing number of Chinese nationals are now eyeing civil service jobs abroad, turning what was once an internal competition for government positions into a global trend. While seemingly harmless, this development may pose serious risks to national security and job markets in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and beyond.
Once confined to fierce domestic competition, the “civil servant craze” in China—known for its extreme exam culture and relentless “neijuan” (internal competition)—is now spilling into the West. Chinese nationals, disillusioned by rigid bureaucracy and toxic work culture back home, are seeking stability abroad. From Japan’s local elections to municipal offices in Northern Europe, Chinese-born applicants are quietly entering government roles.
Though most of these positions are low-level and non-sensitive, some reports indicate Chinese nationals are gradually advancing into central government roles in places like the Netherlands and Finland. This trend raises significant red flags, particularly in light of China’s aggressive global influence campaigns and expanding “state security” doctrine.
In interviews, Chinese public employees working in foreign countries note that Western civil service jobs offer more autonomy, less hierarchy, and better work-life balance than their counterparts in China. However, security experts caution that this wave of applicants could increase vulnerability to foreign interference, especially when these individuals maintain strong personal or ideological ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
One striking example involves a Chinese-born civil servant in New Zealand who reported avoiding political discussions altogether during visits to China—aware that even neutral comments could draw scrutiny under China’s broad national security laws. In another case, an employee in Europe was urged by supervisors to gain full citizenship to avoid complications should tensions with China escalate.
The risk doesn’t end with potential espionage. Mass entry of foreign-born applicants into local civil services could also crowd out domestic candidates and subtly alter institutional loyalties. Chinese state media and online communities have begun celebrating these foreign civil service appointments, framing them as symbolic victories—proof that "the universe ends with getting into the system," a phrase glorifying public sector jobs as the ultimate achievement.
According to legal scholar Yan Zhihua, this movement is an "externalized form of China's internal civil service obsession." As opportunities shrink at home, more Chinese youth are chasing stable foreign roles, even if it means adopting new nationalities. However, the implications go beyond economics—Yan warns that civil service is a form of political life, not just a job. Those unprepared may face ideological conflicts or create unintended openings for state-level influence.
For the U.S. and its allies, this trend demands attention. As bipartisan lawmakers push for stricter rules around adversarial AI, academic infiltration, and export controls, the next front may well involve scrutinizing public sector employment. Open civil service systems must remain vigilant—because even the most routine job can become a strategic foothold.
