In order to investigate the wave energy resource, the third-generation wave model SWAN is utilised to simulate wave parameters of the China East Adjacent Seas (CEAS) including Bohai, Yellow and East China Sea for the 22 years period ranging from 1990.1 to 2011.12. The wind parameters used to simulate waves are obtained by the Weather Research & Forecasting Model (WRF). The results are validated by observed wave heights of 7 stations. The spatial distributions of wave energy density in the CEAS are analysed under the 22-year largest envelop, mean annual and season averaged wave conditions. Along China east coastal, the largest nearshore wave energy flux occurs along the nearshore zones between Zhoushan Island and south bound of CEAS area. The wave energy resources at Liaodong Peninsula Headland and East Zhoushan Island where economy develops rapidly are also studied in detail. For the two sites, the monthly averaged wave energy features of every year for the 22 years are investigated. The wave energy resources of the two potential sites are characterised in terms of wave state parameters. The largest monthly averaged density for the two sites occurs at Zhoushan Island adjacent sea and amounts to 29 kW/m. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.