Abstract：From the perspective of sea power， it is a natural reaction for China to construct a maritime power due to the growth of ability and oversea interests. The geography of China as a coastal and continental country， as well as the historical lessons have determined the key elements of Chinese maritime power construction， which are to safeguard maritime rights， develop limited sea power， resort to a multilateral approaches basing on international cooperation to tackle challenges， and aim to be a regional defensive sea power. During the same time， the research and application of international law should be given more attention in order to avoid the security dilemma or its worsening．
