Boasting home pool advantage, the host finished up with five gold, two silver and seven bronze medals, its best performance since the 1994 worlds and is ready for a tougher challenge in London.
Sending its best abroad, the Chinese swimming team's overseas training programs paid off as the squad only trailed the dominant United States on the final medal table at the Shanghai World Championships.
The world swimming championships ended on Sunday and after almost 350 races and 40 gold medals, there were just two world records, a far cry from the 43 that were broken in Rome two years ago.
Ryan Lochte claimed five gold medals at the world championships in Shanghai but was convinced he was still playing second fiddle to teammate Michael Phelps.
Sun Yang became the NO 1 male swimmer of China as the 19-year-old eclipsed the 10-year-old world mark of the men's 1,500m freestyle to clinch his second gold at swimming worlds.
The host nation consolidated their position in swimming at the 14th FINA World Championships as they have already won four gold medals with one day left at the worlds on Saturday.
American superfish Michael Phelps proved he was still the giant in the pool with his third gold medal at the 14th FINA World Championships on Saturday.
Italy survived an extra-time trial to edge defending champions Serbia 8-7, clinching the uneasy men's water polo gold medal at the FINA worlds on Saturday.
Without Milorad Cavic to challenge him, or Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps registered a comfortable win in the 100 meters butterfly at the 14th FINA world championships in Shanghai.
Chinese teenager swimmer Sun Yang, winner of the men's 800m freestyle at the Shanghai worlds, breezed into the 1500m free final in Shanghai on Saturday.