Background The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in China is increasing rapidly. Appropriate management of glycemia, blood pressure and dyslipidemia in this population is a major public health concern. Objective The aim of this study was to assess metabolic control including glycated hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)), blood pressure (BP) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), in a large sample of patients with type 2 diabetes in China and to identify factors that correlated with the achievement of HbA(1c), BP and LDL-c goals (ABCs). Method A nationwide survey was conducted in 50 medical centres across China from April to July of 2010. Baseline information on demographics, medical history, HbA(1c), BP and LDL-c levels were measured in 5961 patients with type 2 diabetes. Results Mean age, body mass index (BMI) and HbA(1c) were 59.5 +/- 1.3 years, 24.5 +/- 4.1 kg/m(2) and 8.3 +/- 2.2%, respectively. With respect to generally accepted ABC treatment goals, 35.2% of participants had HbA(1c) <7%; 35.5% had BP<140/80 mmHg, and 45.1% had LDL-c<100 mg/dl. The proportion of patients who met all three targets was only 5.4%. Logistic regression revealed that smoking (P=0.000), higher BMI (P=0.001) and insulin use (P=0.000) were statistically significant predictors of failing to meet ABC targets. Conclusion The percentage of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes who met recommended targets for HbA(1c), BP and LDL-c in 2010 was low. Smoking, higher BMI and insulin use were the strongest determinants of failing to meet ABC targets. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.