Abstract:The corrosion of materials is a common phenomenon. Serious corrosion could cause failure of materials, and even cause catastrophic accidents. Awareness and understanding of the corrosion of materials are essential to safeguard the people's personal and property safety. For this purpose, the Chinese Academy of Engineering investigated the corrosion cost in China. It was estimated that the cost of corrosion in China was approximately 2127.8 billion RMB (~310 billion USD in 2014), representing about 3.34% of the gross domestic product. The corrosion of materials is preventable and controllable. Preventive strategies are suggested to improve the protection level in China. The strategies include but not limited to a top-level design of corrosion prevention, intensified study on mechanisms, development of new techniques and products, the popularization of relative standards and experience, and promotion of the public awareness of corrosion issues.