Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is effective in reducing the burden of the disease. Participation rate is an important determinant of the magnitude of the effectiveness in population-based CRC screening. We summarize the current status of participation rate across the different organized CRC screening programs in China. The results indicate that the overall participation rates are low, and the acceptance of the screening protocols is poor in Chinese population. We conclude that the associated factors may include the poor health consciousness, low willingness-to-pay for screening, lack of personalized screening strategy and inadequate organization. Studies on the inventions to improve the willingness of screening and participation rate are of high demand and will provide important references in implementing large-scale CRC screening programs in China in the future.