Private Security Companies: Emerging Protectors of China’s Overseas Interests

Abstract

An increasing number of Chinese enterprises and citizens are going abroad, which exposes them to risks threatening their personal safety and security of their property. With the expansion of Chinese overseas interests, traditional protection methods fall short of a demand for diverse services, revealing a major shortfall in the Chinese government’s capability to provide overseas security protection for its citizens. New service providers are therefore urgently needed, and private security company are becoming an increasingly popular choice. As this is a fairly new demand, only a small number of Chinese private security companies are operating overseas at present. Difficulties abound for them, such as absence of regulatory clarity on business operation and gun control. The presence of private security providers could also pose a challenge to host nation authority and trigger conflicts. To serve as true protectors of overseas Chinese interests, Chinese private security companies have a long way to go.