Abstract:Extensive and profound coastline development and utilization have been found in coastal area in China due to its "engine" role of social-economic development for the whole nation. However, mainly during the past decades, natural coastline disappeared and was destroyed at an alarming rate and severe extensity, and sea reclamation become more violent. The rapid development and utilization of coastline led to series problems of resource, environment, ecology, and disaster in coastal zone, which pose serious challenges to coastal zone management and sustainable social-economic development in coastal China. In this paper, characters of coastline change in past 70 years, problems and effects of coastline development and utilization have been summarized. Then, strategy and focus of integrated coastal zone management in China were pointed out as following:to enhance monitoring, observation, and academic studies on coastal zone; to strengthen the protection of natural shoreline and optimize the artificial shoreline; to launch the action of "restore China's estuaries" in order to maintain and strengthen the hydrological and ecological connectivity of estuaries; to implement classified management for gulfs and bays; and to establish and improve laws and regulations in order to promote cross-departmental collaboration and regional cooperation of coastal zone management.