This book examines and analyzes the historical development of China's practice in the Law of the Sea, spanning in particular the period of China's entry into the United Nations in 1972, her participation in the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference, her becoming a signatory to the new Law of the Sea Convention in 1982, and her subsequent practice. It contains a consolidated collection of reference materials, including an extensive select bibliography, 12 appendices, tables, 15 explanatory maps and a Chinese/English glossary of terms.;Dealing with perennial issues such as environmental matters, petroleum exploration, continental shelf delimitation and island disputes as well as broader questions such as the evolution of international law, ""China's Practice in the Law of the Sea"" is intended to interest not only international and academic lawyers but also maritime affairs specialists, Foreign Office and United Nations staff, petroleum industry advisers, and historians.