The clay minerals of thirty-four bottom sediments collected from the northwestern continental shelf of the East China Sea have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The clay mineral distribution is mainly controlled by the sediment source and the dominant circulation pattern. The predominant clay mineral in our study area is illite comprising more-than 70% of whole clay fraction. The highest concentration of illite (〉72%) is found in the southeastern offshore parts beyond the reach of terrigenous input from the Cheju Island. It means that these illites are largely transported by the Kuroshio Current from the South China Sea. Smectite is highly concentrated in the northwest middle part and in the outer-shelf mud patch. It seems to be due to the high supply of smectite transported from China where the fine-grained sediments are discharged from the modern and ancient Huanghe River. The relatively high abundance of kaolinite is likely derived from the Changjiang River via Taiwan ·Warm Current. In contrast, the large amounts of chlorite and high chlorite/kaolinite ratios occur in the northwestern are, reflecting the transportation by the Huanghai Sea Coastal Current from the southern Yellow Sea.