On November 4, 2004, the Interdepartmental Joint Conference on Security and Protection of Chinese Citizens and Agencies Abroad was launched in Beijing.

At its launch meeting on the same day, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, the convener of the Joint Conference, delivered a keynote speech. He said that with the deepening of the reform and opening up, the exchanges between China and foreign countries are increasingly close and the number of Chinese citizens leaving the country and that of agencies stationed abroad are growing rapidly. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council put the governance concept of people-orientedness and human-centeredness high on the political agenda, cherish and care about the people's interests and attach importance to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and agencies abroad. The launch of the Joint Conference is to strengthen the security and protection of Chinese citizens and agencies abroad in the new situation.

The Joint Conference is composed of relevant ministries and commissions of the State Council and is responsible for formulating polities and measures on the security and protection of Chinese citizens and agencies abroad and coordinating the handling of related significant events.