Abstract: Risk based inspection (RBI) technology is an optimized strategy of inspection established on the pursuit of the unification of safety and economy of the special equipment. Since 2003, RBI technology has been gradually carried out and promoted in China. In this paper, the application of RBI technology in China was introduced, the principle of RBI technology and its implementation in petrochemical, electric power, shipbuilding industry and offshore oil platform system was presented, and its localization problems especially the RBI software problems and the support by national laws and regulations were discussed in detail. Meanwhile, it was indicated that there were many fields in which RBI technology was not yet applied as well as it had a good prospect in China.