China bars millions from travel for 'social credit' offenses

Skipped paying a fine in China? Then forget about buying an airline ticket. Would-be air travellers were blocked from buying tickets 17.5m times last year for "social credit" offenses including unpaid taxes and fines under a controversial system the ruling Communist Party says will improve public behavior. The ruling party says "social credit" penalties and rewards will improve order in a fast-changing society after 3 decades of economic reform have shaken up social structures. Markets are rife with counterfeit goods and fraud. The system is part of efforts by president Xi Jinping's govt to use technology ranging from data processing to genetic sequencing and facial recognition to tighten control. The ruling party wants a nationwide system by 2020 but has yet to say how it will operate. <br/>