In October 1989, the authors went to the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) to advise their National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in planning the development of hearing conservation programs to protect the hearing of 33 million noise‐exposed Chinese workers. Visits to industries and discussions with scientists within government and universities revealed the challenges they face. The Chinese have emphasized a centralized approach to noise control to reduce both occupational noise exposures and community noise in housing adjacent to factories. They plan to increase the acceptance of hearing protection devices among industrial workers by making available more comfortable and practical devices. The P.R.C. currently has a draft noise standard that is being revised before being made final. Because Chinese scientists and practitioners hope to use the experiences of Western nations to help shape their policies, the questions they ask about progress in hearing conservation bring into focus issues that the U.S.A. should consider in determining future funding priorities. Ways in which individuals and institutions can assist hearing conservation efforts in the P.R.C. will be suggested.