Abstract: The progress of the research and development on geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in China in past 20 years in the 21st century was reviewed in this paper. The deep geological disposal program for HLW in China entered into a new steady development stage in the 21st century. Significant progresses have been made in the areas of law and regulation, technical standards, site selection and site characterization, engineered barrier study, conceptual design for repository and underground research laboratory. The highlights include that the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Radioactive Pollution” and the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Nuclear Safety” have been issued, the “Research and Development Plan and Guidelines for Geological Disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste” has been published, the Nuclear Safety Guideline “Site Selection for Geological Disposal Facilities of High-level Radioactive Waste” has been published, the goals to build China’s underground research laboratory around 2020 and China’s repository for HLW in 2050 have been determined, the Beishan, Gansu, China, have been selected as the first priority area for the HLW repository, the site characterization methodologies have been established, the Gaomiaozi bentonite has been selected as the first priority buffer material for China’s repository, a large scale mock-up (China-Mock-Up) has been established in order to study the behavior of bentonite under coupled thermal hydraulic mechanical-chemical conditions, and the migration behavior data on some key radionuclides have been obtained, while preliminary safety assessment has been conducted. The Xinchang site, located in Beishan, Gansu, China has been determined as the final site for the first underground laboratory for geological disposal of HLW of China. The progress and achievements have provided sound bases for China to build an underground research laboratory around 2020 and to develop technologies for final disposal of HLW.