我国东部陆架海和南海是国防安全的重要门户；位处第二岛链以西的副热带北太平洋既是各国争夺的重要海区，又是我国从近海走向大洋的重要通道。围绕“北太平洋副热带环流变异如何通过黑潮与我国近海动力环境之间相互作用”这一国际前沿科学问题，国家重点基础研究发展计划项目“北太平洋副热带环流变异及其对我国近海动力环境的影响”于2007年9月正式立项。该项目不仅有助于拓展和丰富海洋动力学理论，揭示我国近海及邻近大洋动力环境变异机制，提高预测能力，而且也将为维护我国国防安全和海洋权益，为可持续开发利用海洋资源提供海洋动力环境保障。该项目主要研究内容包括：①北太平洋副热带环流变异和调整机理；②黑潮与我国近海的能量与水体交换过程及机制；③北太平洋副热带环流变异与大气驱动力的耦合效应；④我国近海及邻近大洋动力环境变异的可预测性研究。拟解决的关键科学问题为：北太平洋副热带内区环流变异的机理及其对黑潮的影响；黑潮源头变异机理及其对吕宋海峡水交换的影响和黑潮变异机理及其对东部陆架海域动力环境的影响。

The Eastern China Marginal Seas and the South China Sea are the important gateway for the Chinese National Security and Defense. The Subtropical North Pacific，where locates in west of the Second Island Chain, is not only the important region significantly concerned by many countries, but also the important passage of marching from costal to deep oceans for our nation. Centering on mechanisms of the interaction between the Subtropical Gyre in the North Pacific and China marginal seas via the Kuroshio, the National Basic Research Program of China, entitled" Variability of the Subtropical Gyre in the North Pacific and its impacts on dynamic environment of the China Marginal Seas" has launched a project on September 2007, This project will not only aim to extend and enrich theories of ocean dynamics, reveal variability mechanisms of costal and the adjacent deep oceans, and improve the prediction capability, but also provide assurance of ocean dynamic environment for the national defense, marine rights and interests protection, the safe and sustainable exploiture and utilization of marine resources.  The main research themes of this 973 project cover: (1) variability and adjustment mechanisms of Subtropical Gyre in the North Pacific; (2) processes and mechanisms of energy and water exchange between the Kuroshio and the China Marginal Seas; (3) coupling between variability of the Subtropical Gyre in the North Pacific and the atmospheric; and (4) predictability of dynamic environment variability of the marginal seas and the adjacent deep ocean. The key scientific issues to be resolved include: dynamics and mechanisms of subtropical North Pacific interior ocean circulation and its impacts on the Kuroshio, Variability mechanisms of the Kuroshio at its origin and impacts on the water exchange through Luzon Strait, and mechanisms of the Kuroshio variability and its impacts on dynamic environment of the China Marginal Seas.