自地理大发现以来,随着科学技术的进步,人类对海洋的认识能力和驾驭能力日益增强。同时,近代西方大国的崛起和中国的衰落表明,海洋在民族国家兴衰发展中占有举足轻重的地位。尤其是在全球化深入发展和陆地资源渐趋枯竭的情况下,海洋日益成为人类维系生存和可持续发展的生命线。中国近30多年之所以取得巨大成就,一个重要原因就是中国向世界开放、通过海洋融入国际市场。同时,这一进程使曾经固守、封闭的黄色文明,逐渐融入多元、开放的蓝色文明。然而,当前中国在海洋方面还面临着很多挑战和棘手的问题,包括与邻国的岛屿争端、海域划界、海洋资源开发、海洋安全、以及文化观念冲突等。可以说中国和平发展的前景如何,很大程度上取决于海洋竞争的成败。近日,本刊编辑部与上海社会科学院法学所海洋法研究中心联合召开了研讨会,对中国和平发展进程中面临的诸多海洋问题进行了讨论。本期刊发部分专家的发言,以期引起进一步的讨论。 Since the great discovery of the geography, with the progress of science and technology, human’s ability to recognize and control the oceans has been increasingly enhanced. At the same time, the rise of modern Western powers and the decline of China show that the oceans play a decisive role in the rise and decline of the nation-state. Especially in the context of the deepening of globalization and the depletion of land resources, the oceans are increasingly becoming the lifeline for human survival and sustainable development. One of the important reasons why China has made great achievements in nearly 30 years is that China is open to the world and into the international market through the oceans. At the same time, this process has gradually brought the once-closed and closed yellow civilization into a pluralistic and open blue civilization. However, China currently faces many challenges and difficult issues in the oceans, including island disputes with neighboring countries, delimitation of maritime areas, development of marine resources, maritime security, and cultural conflicts of ideas. It can be said that the prospects for the peaceful development of China depend to a large extent on the success or failure of maritime competition. Recently, the editorial department of our magazine jointly held a seminar with the Law Research Center for the Law of the Sea of ​​Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences to discuss many marine issues that China is facing in its peaceful development. This issue issues some speeches by the experts with a view to arousing further discussion.