Bangladesh, April 29 -- The detention of Abdulhakim Idris in a Malaysian airport may appear, at first glance, as an isolated immigration incident. But when viewed through a broader lens, it becomes a telling case study in a much larger and increasingly sophisticated phenomenon: Chinas sustained campaign of transnational repression. One year after the revelations of the “China Targets” investigation, evidence continues to mount that Beijings efforts to silence critics are not only ongoing but intensifying in both scale and complexity.

According to a recent report by Freedom House, China emerged as the most prolific perpetrator of transnational repression in 2025. This designation is not merely symbolic-it reflects a systematic...