This paper aims at appraising the current progress of China's contaminated sites environmental management system, identifying its bottlenecks and individuating areas for lesson drawing based on the relevant EU experience. The paper provides an overview of policies, laws, standards, administrative functions, and management processes relevant to China's contaminated sites environmental management. Based on its current development status, the following shortcomings can be individuated in the Chinese case: (a) inadequate monitoring system; (b) incomplete legislation; (c) overlapping of competencies in sites administration; (d) lack of a dedicated funding scheme. Similar challenges have been characterising also the development of the management system for contaminated sites in EU Member States. Based on the experience matured in the EU in tackling such challenges, the final section of the paper puts forward recommendations targeted on the Chinese case. Proposed recommendations are discussed against the broader background of China's institutional and policy environment.