The new China Maritime Centre will promote, disseminate and study the role of China as a major maritime nation in the 21st century, with the aim of contributing to the understanding of China’s rise as a maritime power. It will provide a focus for research and consultancy into a wide variety of maritime activities in which China is prominently involved. This research and consultancy, embracing both current and historical trends, will promote a deeper understanding of how China’s greatly enlarged role relates to, and is a key component of, the global maritime industry. Benefiting from a strong connection with the maritime industry and academic institutions in China, especially Shanghai Jiao Tong University, there are plans for a range of studies.