Abstract: This paper gave a review of the state of the art of studies in the past ten years on the coastal erosion processes and mechanisms, patterns and models, and possible counter measures, analysed the progressively deteriorated status of coastal erosion in China, and offered four suggestions on how to further conduct this research: Strengthening the study of estuarine and coastal erosion caused by human being; combining the resarches of tideflat and channel erosions; paying high attention to the study of coastal erosions in the three delta areas in China; and intensifying observations onsite.

Key words: coastal erosion, the delta areas, estuaries and coasts, coastal erosion, the delta areas