What is the importance of the shipping industry to international commerce? What does Chinas shipping industry look like? What are the major International Maritime Conventions that dominate maritime legislation? What International Maritime Conventions has China adopted? How has Chinese maritime legislation developed? What has been the impact of International Conventions on the development of Chinese maritime legislation? These questions are particularly significant, especially after Chinas entry into the World Trade Organization. Three international conventions, the Hague Rules, the Hague- Visby Rules and the Hamburg Rules, are the primary rules regulating the transport of goods by sea. Although China has not acceded to any of these three conventions, Chinese maritime legislation makes some reference to these conventions. This article will analyze the impact of these conventions on Chinese maritime legislation and answer the questions above.