this post was submitted on 15 May 2026
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My brother-in-law traveled a lot for work, from the early nineties, to the 20-teens.
He visited, China, Russia, the U.S., India, all over Southeast Asia, Australia. Maybe South America, but not sure. Anyway, the point is he visited a lot of places, and the big ones fairly routinely. China is the only country, where his company had a whole list of requirements. He had to leave his personal phone, any personal electronics, and his work laptop at home. (They provided him a phone and laptop that would immediately be turned over once he returned and he could NOT log onto the company VPN with the laptop/phone they gave him and had to have his work email forwarded. )
They gave him money to buy a new suit before he went over there and to replace his luggage and clothes when he came back, because it was all discarded.
He said it was not so much government spying but industrial espionage. And he just worked in human resources.
I was in the Navy and visited Hong Kong a couple of times and they never said boo to me outside of the usual, "Loose lips sink ships." spiel we got at every port.
They let him take his phone to Russia, but they did made him take a different work laptop, but that laptop could access the company VPN. He said there is was more about the government spying. I did not visit any Russian port while in the Navy.
The company i used to work for decided none of that mattered and set up a whole manufacturing plant in China. Why protect your secrets when you can just share the whole thing with China?
Wait why would you need new clothes?
My past few employers have all had similar policies, it’s common in tech. I cannot take any company equipment over the Chinese border and we are strongly discouraged against bringing any personal equipment. The company has special burner laptops and phones for the few cases where we actually need a business trip to China.
Wow that sounds pretty Draconian. I would not travel without a personal phone, after all the trip is not 100% work time. I'd bring a personal burner, not my real phone, but I'd bring something. I don't want my work to listen in on all personal comms while I'm there. I mean if they want me to leave a personal device in the hotel ok but not bringing it at all?
And throwing my luggage and clothes away? Over my dead body.
Of course with any work issued stuff they can do whatever they want. But not my personal things.
I would really refuse a trip under such conditions, or refuse the conditions themselves.