During a major political meeting this week, China has increased its attempts to prevent people from accessing forbidden websites by using firewall-evading software, according to a prominent provider of such software who spoke to AFP.

Beijing operates some of the world’s most extensive censorship over the internet, with web users in mainland China unable to access everything from Google to news websites without using a virtual private network (VPN).

As the “Two Sessions” meeting brings together numerous delegates in Beijing this week, VPN software is facing a growing challenge in bypassing censorship. Outages have also become more common, particularly during politically sensitive events, surpassing previous occurrences.

“Currently, there is increased censorship due to political meetings in China,” a representative of the Liechtenstein-based service Astrill — one of the most popular VPN services for foreigners in China — confirmed to AFP.

Regrettably, some VPN protocols are not operating currently. The team is actively working to restore all services to their usual state, but there is currently no estimated time for completion.

The act of using a VPN in China without government consent is considered illegal, as well as using the software to bypass blocked websites.

Employees of state-run media and diplomats, on the other hand, have permission to visit banned platforms like X (previously known as Twitter).

“We have observed an increase in security measures in Beijing during the Two Sessions. Security officers are now accompanied by sniffer dogs while patrolling the streets, and there are also elderly volunteers wearing red armbands keeping a watchful eye on pedestrians for any unusual conduct.”

The Chinese social media platform Weibo has swiftly censored controversial subjects.

All hashtags discussing Beijing’s decision to call off a traditional news conference by the country’s premier were quickly removed from search results.

Furthermore, a statement about China’s financial difficulties expressing that “adolescents from the middle class have a bleak future” was also taken down.

The Chinese government heavily regulates domestic media and frequently censors social media to suppress negative news and dissenting opinions.

Authorities have previously advised investors to refrain from reading news articles from other countries about China.

During a previous address, President Xi Jinping expressed that the ruling Communist Party has strengthened their hold on the internet and emphasized the importance of the government managing online space.