Welding　is　one　of　the　most　important　technologies　of　materials　forming　and　processing　in　modern　manufacturing　industry,　the　development　of　welding　technology　is　of　very　important　significance　in　promoting　China　to　be　a　manufacturing　giant　in　the　world.　Based　on　the　summary　and　analysis　of　the　recent　advances　on　welding?science　and　technology?in　China,　the　future?development　strategies　on　the　relative　fields　are　proposed.　Due　to　steels　still　hold　the　dominant　role　in　the　basic　structural　materials,　the　study　of　welding　metallurgy　for　the　new　generation　steels　and　the　development　of　high　grade　welding　consumables　are　the　key　topics　in　welding　manufacturing.　China　is　now　the　largest　electronic　production　site　in　the　world,　however,　the　study　and　development　in　lead-free　soldering　materials　and　lead-free　packing　technologies　are　the　sole　way　to　ensure　China　to　be　the　largest　green　electronic　producer.　High　energy　density　welding,　such　as　laser　beam　welding　and　electron　beam　welding,　is　proven　an　advanced　welding　process　which　could　increase　the　welding　productivity　remarkably,　the　study　and　application　of　such　welding　process　in　equipment　manufacturing　should　be　encouraged.　The　numerical　simulation　on　welding　process　is　beneficial　in　the　understanding　of　the　complex　physical　phenomena　involved　in　welding,　which　also　provides　important　and　practical　basic　data.　Significant　progress　in　the　simulation　of　thermal　process,　residual　stress,　deformation　and　welding　metallurgy　is　made　in　China　in　the　past　years,　nevertheless,　the　practical　application　of　the　above　achievements　should　be　further　investigated.　Achievements　in　research　on　automatic　welding　and　intelligent　welding　have　shown　that　the　high　productivity　and　welding　quality　could　be　reached　by　using　welding　automation,　however,　the　integrated　application　of　welding　automation　should　be　studied.　The　research　and　application　on　evaluation　of　integrity　of　welded　structures　should　be　emphasized　in　order　to　ensure　fitness　for　purpose　of　such　structures.　©　2012　Journal　of　Mechanical　Engineering.