Yao joined the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 1970 and held various positions, including squad leader, staff officer, translator, instructor, researcher, deputy director, and director of research divisions, and director of research center. In 1988, she had her Master’s degree in English Language and Literature from the PLA Institute of Foreign Languages in Luoyang. In 1998, she received her Ph.D. in Military Science from the Academy of Military Science. She spent time as a visiting scholar at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (1995-1996), an Eisenhower Foundation exchange scholar in the United States (1999), and a visiting scholar at Harvard University (2009-2010). From 2003 to 2007, she served as a member of the Tenth National People's Congress. From 2007 to 2012, she served as a member to the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Her research focuses on security affairs in the Asia-Pacific region, with particular attention to the Korean Peninsula, Sino-US military relations, nuclear strategy and policy, and international arms control and disarmament. She has published numerous books, translations, academic papers, and articles.