However, reports by Indonesian police show that there has been a consistent trend of Chinese nationals attempting to reach Australia through Indonesia as an alternative to “zouxian”, or “walking the line” – the illegal migration route from Mexico to the US through the Darian Gap.
That route became popular among Chinese nationals in 2021, driven by China’s tightening political control and economic slowdown. In 2023, more than 37,000 Chinese nationals were arrested on the southern border.
A crackdown on that route under both the Biden and Trump administrations has pushed many Chinese nationals to turn to countries such as Australia. Media reports from January 2024 to December 2025 show that at least three boats that carried Chinese nationals reached Australia.