Chinese Global operational Oceanography Forecasting System (CGOFS) is configured in three levels of nested grids from global ocean, open ocean to offshore. This global operational oceanography forecasting system architecture is firstly bulit in China by the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center (NMEFC). It has been put into operational forecasting at NMEFC, providing real-time forecasting of multi-scale ocean current, temperature, salinity, wave, sea surface wind, etc. All the ocean forecasting products are released in many ways and made available through the online, realizing full-range coverage in resolution from hundreds kilometer to several kilometer. The CGOFS includes 8 subsystems: global sea-surface wind numerical forecasting subsystem, global ocean circulation numerical forecasting subsystem, global ocean wave numerical forecasting subsystem, global tide and tidal current forecasting subsystem, Indian Ocean marine environment numerical forecasting subsystem, polar sea ice numerical forecasting subsystem, refined marine environment numerical forecasting for China’s surrounding waters,and integration management subsystem for operational support service of the CGOFS. Operational applications of the CGOFS are closely connected with China’s economic-social development and military security needs. For example, the CGOFS palys a crucial role in environmental forecasting for Chinese research vessel and icebreaker Xuelong, MH370 Searching, submersible “Jiaolong” exploration and nuclear contaminant transport from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, providing important scientific support for developing an ocean power, protecting national maritime rights, ensuring marine safety and coping with ocean problems in emergency.