Professor Zhang Kening is director of Xiamen University Center for Oceans Law and the China Seas. Previously, he served as director and consultant for the Department of Treaty and Law of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and first secretary, councillor and consultant at the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations, Legal Officer at the International Seabed Authority, participating in the negotiations for UN conventions and other legal issues between China and other UN members for several times. Apart from advising to the government, Professor Zhang also served as an editor of People’s Daily International. He received his PhD in international laws from Peking University.