WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is telling Congress that China’s increasingly sophisticated military is pursuing “new historic missions” that go beyond its traditional role of defending the homeland.

In a report released today, the Pentagon says these new missions include humanitarian aid, combatting piracy and counter-terrorism operations. The Pentagon cited as an example China’s evacuation last year of 36,000 Chinese nationals from Libya during the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi.

The Pentagon report is an annual presentation to Congress on China’s military capabilities.

The report says the main focus of the People’s Liberation Army remains preparing for the possibility of hostilities in the Taiwan Strait. That includes deterring the U.S. from effectively intervening in the event of conflict with Taiwan.