On August 1, 2026, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army will mark the 99th anniversary of its founding. Over the past 99 years, and under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese military has made enduring achievements that have contributed to the rise, prosperity, and growing strength of the Chinese people. It has also provided a solid foundation for safeguarding China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests, while making positive contributions to world peace and regional stability.

China remains firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and pursues a national defence policy that is defensive in nature. The development of China’s armed forces is intended to safeguard state sovereignty and the security of its people, preserve peace, and promote cooperation—not to pursue expansion or confrontation. In a world undergoing rapid change and facing mounting security challenges, the Chinese military has consistently remained a builder of world peace, a contributor to international development, and a defender of the international order.

China actively participates in United Nations peacekeeping operations. It is the second-largest financial contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget and the largest contributor of peacekeeping troops among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. China has deployed more than 50,000 personnel to 25 peacekeeping missions, while 17 Chinese service members have sacrificed their lives in the fulfilment of this noble mission. Through their actions, Chinese peacekeepers have embodied the message of peace and demonstrated the responsibility of a major country.

In the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia—areas well known to the Yemeni people—the Chinese Navy’s escort task forces continue to carry out missions aimed at safeguarding maritime security. Since 2008, China has dispatched 48 naval escort task forces, which have conducted more than 1,700 escort missions for over 7,400 Chinese and foreign vessels. They have also rescued or provided assistance to nearly 100 ships, more than half of which were foreign vessels. These facts demonstrate that the Chinese military not only protects China’s interests but also provides the international community with a reliable public security service in the maritime domain.

The Chinese military is committed to working alongside the armed forces of other countries to put into practice the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity; advance the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative; promote practical and friendly cooperation; and achieve common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security. These efforts contribute to building a fairer and more equitable international security system based on participation and mutual benefit.

China and Yemen are two ancient nations with civilisations deeply rooted in history. Since antiquity, the ancient Silk Road has connected the peoples of the two countries. Over the 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Yemen have continued to engage with one another on the basis of mutual respect and equality. China has implemented more than 100 cooperation projects in Yemen, leaving a positive mark across the country. The friendship between China and Yemen has withstood changes in the international landscape and has become an important testament to Chinese-Arab friendship and the mutual trust between the two countries.

Amid the current escalation of regional tensions, China expresses its deep concern and calls on all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint, and avoid further escalation. China also reaffirms its firm support for Yemen’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, as well as for reaching a political solution to the Yemeni issue. Within the limits of its capabilities, China will continue to provide humanitarian assistance and support Yemen’s reconstruction efforts, contributing to the achievement of peace and stability at the earliest possible opportunity and to the promotion of lasting security and stability in the Middle East.

As the centenary goal of building a strong military draws closer, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, guided by President Xi Jinping’s thinking on strengthening the military, will continue to accelerate the development of world-class armed forces, provide strategic support for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and make even greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and common security.

China also looks forward to continuing its work with Yemen to strengthen their traditional friendship, expand exchanges and cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, and advance China-Yemen relations towards broader horizons for the benefit of their two friendly peoples.

Shao Zheng
Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Yemen