Befitting its status as a rising global power, China says it is the third-largest country in the world, after Russia and Canada, with a land area of about 9.6 million square km. However, although China is a continental giant, it is a maritime minnow compared to other big countries.

Because its coastline is relatively short and the uncontested islands it holds are not far from the coast, China has not generated a huge belt of exclusive economic zones as more fortunate nations have, among them the United States, Russia, Canada and Japan.

They have the sole right under international law to exploit valuable fisheries and seabed resources, including oil, gas and minerals, within their EEZs out as far as 370 km from their mainland and natural islands. They can extend resource control to the natural prolongation of their land territory at the outer edge of the continental shelf, up to 650 km from the coast.