Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of vision impairment in the global working-age population. In China, with one-third of the world's diabetes population estimated at 141 million, the blindness prevalence due to DR has increased significantly. The country's geographic variations in socioeconomic status have led to prominent disparities in DR prevalence, screening and management. Reported risk factors for DR in China include the classic ones, such as long diabetes duration, hyperglycaemia, hypertension and rural habitats. There is no national-level DR screening programme in China, but significant pilot efforts are underway for screening innovations. Novel agents with longer durations, noninvasive delivery or multi-target are undergoing clinical trials in China. Although optimised medical insurance policies have enhanced accessibility for expensive therapies like anti-VEGF drugs, further efforts in DR prevention and management in China are required to establish nationwide cost-effective screening programmes, including telemedicine and AI-based solutions, and to improve insurance coverage for related out-of-pocket expenses.© 2023 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.