Soil and water conservation plays a crucial role in the construction of ecological civilization. It is also an important indicator that reflects the balance between economic and social development and ecological environment quality. Based on the China Soil and Water Conservation Bulletin published over the past two decades, we analyze the current status of soil and water loss in China, summarize the progresses made in soil and water conservation, and scrutinize the causes of dynamic changes in soil and water loss as well as the effectiveness of soil and water conservation efforts. Our research reveals that: 1) in 2020,the soil erosion area in China reduced by 26.6% from the late 1980s and 24.4% from the beginning of the 20th century; 2) before 2011, soil erosion was moderate or severe, but from 2018, the erosion intensity significantly decreased, and the mild loss area accounted for more than 60%; 3) comprehensive treatment of soil erosion is the primary contribution to the reduction of soil erosion area. Over the past 20 years, the annual sediment discharge of eleven major rivers decreased by 72.4%, and the annual sediment load was significantly negatively correlated with the cumulative soil erosion control area (R²=0.90). At present, China's soil and water conservation efforts are advancing from “surface” to “point” and are moving towards high-quality development. The research results provide quantitative data and theoretical foundations for evaluating soil and water conservation work and promoting high-quality development of soil and water conservation in China.