Protection of Overseas Interests
China's overseas interests are an important part of its national interests. It is important to have in place a framework that integrates political, economic, diplomatic, and military measures to protect China's overseas interests, including its citizens, entities and assets, its energy resources, and the security of strategic passageways, and protect its international image and help create a more secure world. To this end China seeks to align the protection of Chinese interests abroad with the protection of interests shared by all, and to contribute more public security goods to the international community.
In recent years, China's overseas interests have been exposed to a diverse array of security threats, especially local conflicts and unrest. Protection of these interests has become a strategic issue that bears on the wellbeing of the people and the development of the country. China's military seeks increased international security cooperation to better protect Chinese interests abroad. Measures to this end also aim to identify and address inadequacies in overseas operations and support, and develop ocean-going naval forces, overseas supply facilities, and the military's ability to perform diversified tasks, including naval escorts, protection of strategic maritime passageways, maintaining China's maritime interests, and evacuation of Chinese nationals.
In March 2015 when the security situation in Yemen deteriorated, China's naval frigates deployed in the region for naval escort missions successfully evacuated from Yemen's port of Aden 621 Chinese citizens and 279 foreign nationals from 15 countries, including Pakistan, Ethiopia, Singapore, Italy, Poland, Germany, Canada, the UK, India, and Japan, in a first-ever action in an overseas conflict zone.
维护海外利益
海外利益是中国国家利益的重要组成部分。中国通过构建海外利益安全工作体系，综合运用政治、经济、外交、军事等手段，保障海外本国公民、机构、资产、能源资源、战略通道安全，维护国际形象，塑造有利国际态势。中国维护海外利益，不追求一己私利，注重把自身利益与各国人民的共同利益统一起来，致力于为国际社会提供公共安全产品。
近年来，中国海外利益面临多样化安全威胁，特别是因当地战争或内乱而遭受威胁和损失的情况不断发生，维护海外利益安全已凸显为关系国计民生的重大战略议题。中国军队积极推动国际安全和军事合作，完善海外利益保护机制。着眼弥补海外行动和保障能力差距，发展远洋力量，建设海外补给点，增强遂行多样化军事任务能力。实施海上护航，维护海上战略通道安全，遂行海上维权、撤离海外中国公民等行动。2015年3月，也门安全局势严重恶化，中国海军护航编队赴也门亚丁湾海域，首次直接靠泊交战区域港口，安全撤离621名中国公民和279名来自巴基斯坦、埃塞俄比亚、新加坡、意大利、波兰、德国、加拿大、英国、印度、日本等15个国家的公民。