Due to the high sensitivity and vulnerability to climate change in eastern China, based on the CRU (Climatic Research Unit) and HadISST (Hadley Centre Sea Ice and Sea Surface Temperature dataset) global surface temperature reanalysis data from 1960 to 2014, two measurement indexes, i.e. the geographic isotherm shift over time and the seasonal timing of surface temperature, are applied to analyze the velocity of climate change and phenology change across the globe and in eastern China. Results show that the global has experienced a significant warming trend during 1960-2014. The warming is faster in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere and on land than in the ocean. Meanwhile, the geographic isotherms basically move to the poles and spring arrives early and fall begins late in both hemispheres. East China exhibits a prominent warming trend over the decades, the surface temperature on land generally rises faster than in the ocean, and geographic isotherms basically move northward. However, the surface temperatures in the East China seas rise much more rapid than on the adjacent lands, and the shift timing of surface temperature in the ocean is more remarkable than on land. Finally, the biological phenology in eastern China is obviously affected by the pace of climate change, and the movement of geographic isotherms is inhibited by land/sea boundaries, the ability of marine organisms to adapt to climate change is limited, and the marine ecosystem and biodiversity are facing a significant risk induced by climate change.