Extraterritoriality: China's Weapon to Expand Global Sovereignty

China is increasingly projecting its sovereignty into the global space, actively protecting its strategic interests and strengthening its enforcement capacity beyond its borders.

It does so through the massive use of extraterritoriality clauses embedded in its most "sensitive" laws (privacy, counter-espionage, dual use, cybersecurity, national security, unfair competition). These clauses allow China to extend the application of its domestic laws to subjects, behaviors, or legal situations outside its national territory, with cascading effects within its legal system or involving Chinese strategic interests. […]

[…] “This is a forward-looking application,” notes Laura Formichella, of counsel at ADVANT Nctm, “but we must not underestimate the scope of these clauses, whose legal reach goes well beyond physical territory. Extraterritoriality can be based on various factors, such as the nationality of individuals or companies, the location of the conduct, or the effects of such conduct within the State's territory. And China is showing its full ability to enforce its laws beyond its borders.”

Read the full article in the July 23, 2025 edition of Il Sole 24 Ore.