Abstract: The concept of modern palliative care originated in the 1960s. It has been highly valued by the World Health Organization, and promoted globally with the "three-step analgesic ladder" as the starting point. China introduced the "three-step analgesic ladder" in 1990, which has been in practice for more than 30 years. This has brought clinical oncology closer to palliative care, thus promoting the progress of palliative care in China. Further development of palliative care in China is expected to significantly improve the survival time and quality of life of cancer patients.