This is a list of seas of the World Ocean , including marginal seas, areas of water, various gulfs , bights , bays , and straits . In many cases it is a matter of tradition for a body of water to be named a sea or a bay, etc., therefore all these types are listed here.
31-689: Hangzhou Bay is a funnel-shaped inlet of the East China Sea , bordered by the province of Zhejiang and the municipality of Shanghai , which lies north of the Bay. The Bay extends from the East China Sea to its head at the city of Hangzhou , from which its name is derived. At Hangzhou, the Qiantang River flows into this Bay, providing freshwater from the West while seawater comes in from
62-551: A median line that Tokyo regards as the two sides' sea boundary, they may tap into a field that stretches underground into the disputed area. Japan therefore seeks a share in the natural gas resources. The gas fields in the Xihu Sag area in the East China Sea ( Canxue , Baoyunting , Chunxiao , Duanqiao , Wuyunting , and Tianwaitian ) are estimated to hold proven reserves of 364 BCF of natural gas . Commercial operations began 2006. In June 2008, both sides agreed to jointly develop
93-674: A service center at the bridge midpoint. It runs across the mouth of Hangzhou Bay connecting the municipalities of Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. One of the longest bridges in the world , it cuts the trip between eastern Zhejiang and Shanghai from 400 to 80 kilometers (249 to 50 miles). The second bridge crossing of the Bay is the Jiashao Bridge , located west of the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, and completed in 2013. It stretches 10.14 km (6.30 mi) across
124-652: A wider role in regional security cooperation by engaging in joint naval drills with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. The actions of the MSDF in the East China Sea help promote stability, build confidence, and deter security threats, showcasing Japan's active stance on maritime security and defense in the Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan's involvement in the East China Sea is influenced by its territorial disputes and strategic concerns, especially in relation to
155-646: Is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean , located directly offshore from East China . China names the body of water along its eastern coast as "East Sea" ( Dōng Hǎi , simplified Chinese : 东海 ; traditional Chinese : 東海 ) due to direction, the name of "East China Sea" is otherwise designated as a formal name by International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and used internationally. It covers an area of roughly 1,249,000 square kilometers (482,000 sq mi). The sea's northern extension between Korean Peninsula and mainland China
186-572: Is highly important in the East China Sea, particularly in relation to the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands conflict. Japan has improved its abilities at sea by increasing naval patrols and surveillance in order to protect its territorial rights and monitor activities in the region. The MSDF being there highlights Japan's dedication to safeguarding its territorial waters, ensuring maritime security, and upholding international law when dealing with maritime disagreements. Additionally, Japan also plays
217-435: Is home to about 40 million people and, as of 2017, accounts for 87 percent of the province's economic output. The challenge to Zhejiang's vision may be its interaction with Shanghai. 30°17′07″N 120°55′26″E / 30.2852°N 120.924°E / 30.2852; 120.924 This Chinese location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . East China Sea The East China Sea
248-646: Is planned which will carry the Nantong–Ningbo high-speed railway . In 2018, the Zhejiang provincial government, following in Guangdong 's footsteps, released ambitious plans for the Hangzhou Great Bay Area , aiming for a mega urban re-development schema that would double the economic output of the region by 2022 and develop a “world class” bay area in Zhejiang by 2035. The Great Bay Area, an economic and industrial belt centered around Hangzhou Bay,
279-653: Is the Yellow Sea , separated by an imaginary line between the southwestern tip of South Korea 's Jeju Island and the eastern tip of Qidong at the Yangtze River estuary . The East China Sea is bounded in the east and southeast by the middle portion of the first island chain off the eastern Eurasian continental mainland, including the Japanese island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands , and in
310-651: Is the largest river flowing into the East China Sea. There is a cluster of submerged reefs in the northern East China Sea. These include: The sea is called the East Sea in Chinese ( 東海 ; Dōng Hǎi ), and is one of the Four Seas of Chinese literature . There are three other seas, one for each of the four cardinal directions. Until World War II , the sea was referred to as 東支那海 ( Higashi Shina Kai ; "East Shina Sea") in Japanese. In 2004, official documents of
341-725: Is within 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its coast, and thus proposed the Median line division of the EEZ. In 1995, the People's Republic of China (PRC) discovered an undersea natural gas field in the East China Sea, namely the Chunxiao gas field , which lies within the Chinese EEZ while Japan believes it is connected to other possible reserves beyond the median line. Japan has objected to PRC development of natural gas resources in
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#1732765552365372-787: The Japanese Foreign Ministry and other departments switched to the name 東シナ海 (pronounced the same), which has become the standard usage in Japan. Common usage in Indonesia refers to the sea as Laut Cina Timur (East China Sea). This name was used officially by the Indonesian government until 2014, when Indonesia switched usage from the word Cina to Tiongkok instead; since then, the name Laut Tiongkok Timur become standard usage in Indonesia. Despite this, many Indonesian media outlets and publications continue to use
403-653: The South China Sea , and on the west by the Asian continent. It connects with the Sea of Japan through the Korea Strait ; it opens in the north to the Yellow Sea . Countries with borders on the sea (clockwise from north) include: South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the "Eastern China Sea (Tung Hai)" as follows: The Yangtze River (Chang Jiang)
434-562: The Chunxiao gas fields, but they have never been able to agree on how to execute the plan. Rounds of disputes about island ownership in the East China Sea have triggered both official and civilian protests between China and Japan. The dispute between PRC and South Korea concerns Socotra Rock , a submerged reef on which South Korea has constructed the Ieodo Ocean Research Station . While neither country claims
465-427: The Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands conflict. Although Taiwan claims ownership of the islands, its maritime actions in the area are not as extensive as those of China and Japan. Taiwan keeps a Coast Guard presence for patrolling its waters and dealing with maritime incidents. Still, Taiwan's involvement in the East China Sea is impacted by its larger security concerns and its relations with China across the strait. The tensions over
496-490: The Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands impact Taiwan's security outlook and regional stability, leading to a need for close monitoring of maritime activities and continued diplomatic communication with relevant parties. Even though Taiwan's involvement in the East China Sea conflict is limited, its position demonstrates its dedication to defending its territorial rights and promoting maritime safety in the Asia-Pacific area. Taiwan, Japan, China, and South Korea all conduct military exercises in
527-450: The East China Sea near the area where the two countries Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) claims overlap. The specific development in dispute is the PRC's drilling in the Chunxiao gas field , which is located in undisputed areas on China's side, three or four miles (6 km) west of the median line proposed by Japan. Japan maintains that although the Chunxiao gas field rigs are on the PRC side of
558-548: The East China Sea width is only 360 nautical miles. China proposed the application of UNCLOS, considering the natural prolongation of its continental shelf, advocating that the EEZ extends as far as the Okinawa Trough . Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that "the natural prolongation of the continental shelf of China in the East China Sea extends to the Okinawa Trough and beyond 200 nautical miles from
589-782: The East China Sea. Possibly, East China Sea ( Donghai in Chinese ) is represented with the star Eta Serpentis in asterism Left Wall , Heavenly Market enclosure (see Chinese constellation ). 30°N 125°E / 30°N 125°E / 30; 125 Marginal sea There are several terms used for bulges of ocean that result from indentations of land, which overlap in definition, and which are not consistently differentiated: Many features could be considered to be more than one of these, and all of these terms are used in place names inconsistently; especially bays, gulfs, and bights, which can be very large or very small. This list includes large areas of water no matter
620-512: The East China Sea. The Chinese Navy's activities in the area impact the naval strategies of neighboring countries and shape maritime cooperation initiatives, contributing to wider regional security dynamics. Moreover, the involvement of the Chinese Navy highlights the intricate relationship among maritime security, territorial conflicts, and competition among major powers in the Asia-Pacific area. The Maritime Self-Defense Force of Japan (MSDF)
651-686: The East. Thus, Hangzhou Bay, especially its western end, is sometimes called in the scientific literature as the Qiantang River Estuary . At the southeast end of Hangzhou Bay, off Ningbo , are many small islands that are collectively called the Zhoushan Islands . This archipelago of islands is urbanized with the administrative status of a prefecture-level city in Zhejiang Province. At less than 15 meters in depth,
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#1732765552365682-631: The Pacific Ocean, to counter China's growing strength, and to be ready for any unforeseen challenges in the future. The role of the Chinese Navy in the East China Sea is important, especially in territorial disputes such as the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands issue. China has expanded its naval involvement in the area by sending out naval ships and carrying out maritime patrols to uphold its ownership of contested lands. This increased naval presence demonstrates China's strategic priority to safeguard maritime routes, defend territorial claims, and show strength in
713-467: The Qiantang River estuary and carries the [REDACTED] G15W expressway, four lanes each way, over six consecutive cable-stayed spans supported by six tall pylons. The Jiashao Bridge connects Shaoxing on the south shore of the Bay to a point on the north shore of the Bay due south of Jiaxing and provides a more direct route for vehicle traffic between Shaoxing and Shanghai. Another bridge
744-511: The baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea of China is measured," which is applicable to the relevant UNCLOS provisions that support China's right to the natural shelf. In 2012, China presented a submission under the UNCLOS concerning the outer limits of the continental shelf to the UN. However, Japan claims about 40,000 square kilometers part of this territory as its own EEZ because it
775-476: The entire Bay is relatively shallow. Consequently, the main port in the Bay area is the one in Ningbo and Zhoushan , at the southeast end of the Bay on the coast of East China Sea. The Bay is known for hosting the world's largest tidal bore , up to 9 meters (30 feet) high, and traveling up to 40 km (25 mi) per hour. Yanguan Town Tide-Viewing Park (盐官镇观潮胜地公园 Yánguān Zhèn Guāncháo Shèngdì Gōngyuán), on
806-652: The former sea name. American whaleships cruised for right whales in the sea between 1849 and 1892. There are disputes between the China] (PRC), Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea over the extent of their respective exclusive economic zones (EEZ). The dispute between the PRC and Japan concerns the different application of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which both nations have ratified. China and Japan both claim 200 nautical miles EEZ rights, but
837-402: The maximum depth, reached in the Okinawa Trough , is 2,716 metres (8,911 ft). The Korean peninsula, China, Japan, and Taiwan lie within or border the East China Sea. The East China Sea is an arm of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of roughly 770,000 square kilometers (300,000 sq mi). It is bounded on the east by Kyūshū and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, on the south by
868-638: The north shore of Hangzhou Bay some 50 km east of the city of Hangzhou, is regarded as one of the best place to watch the Qiantang River Tidal Bore, especially on the 18th day of the eighth lunar month. The Bay was first spanned by the Hangzhou Bay Bridge , which was linked up on June 14, 2007, and opened on May 1, 2008. It is a long 35.7 km (22.2 mi) bridge carrying [REDACTED] G15 expressway, three lanes each way, with two separate cable-stayed portions and
899-561: The rock as territory, the PRC has objected to Korean activities there as a breach of its EEZ rights. In their sphere of naval operations along their littoral (in the East and South China Seas), China today possesses more naval vessels than those of the US Navy. US Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump have given priority to US naval operations, under the US Indo-Pacific Command , to expand its sphere of influence in
930-612: The south by the island of Taiwan . It connects with the Sea of Japan in the northeast through the Korea Strait , the South China Sea in the southwest via the Taiwan Strait , and the Philippine Sea in the southeast via gaps between the various Ryukyu Islands (e.g. Tokara Strait and Miyako Strait ). Most of the East China Sea is shallow, with almost three-fourths of it being less than 200 metres (660 ft) deep, its average depth being 350 metres (1,150 ft), while
961-470: The term used in the name. The largest terrestrial seas, in decreasing order of area, are: Seas may be considered marginal between ocean and land, or between oceans in which case they may be treated as marginal parts of either. There is no single ultimate authority on the matter. (clockwise from 180°) In addition to the marginal seas listed in the three subsections below, the Arctic Ocean itself