Telemedicine in China began in the mid-1980s and the early Chinese telemedicine activities were mostly based on store-and-forward techniques as the telecommunication infrastructure required for realtime work was not available. In recent years, telemedicine in China has developed quickly with the rapid growth of telecommunication networks. China now has three major telemedicine networks: the Golden Health Network (GHN), the International MedioNet of China (IMNC) network and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) telemedicine network. Nonetheless, research and application of telemedicine is at a relatively early stage in China. We suggest that the Chinese government needs to make a policy in favour of rural people and invest more in telemedicine, so that they can enjoy low-cost telemedicine services and foster a large telemedicine market.