After decades of development, China has made significant progress in ensuring national food security. However, the country currently faces multiple challenges, including the double burden of malnutrition, i.e., micronutrient deficiencies and overweight/obesity, climate change, resource stress and environmental degradation, and an increasingly complex global market. This paper reviews past developments in food and agriculture, and offers initial insights into transforming the Chinese food system for achieving multiple national development goals using a systems approach. Strategies and solutions from China can also inform the design and implementation of food system transformation in other emerging economies.