Long　range　continuous　monitoring　information　of　cropping　intensity　is　useful　for　sustainable　agricultural　management　but　still　limited.　This　study　filled　this　information　gap　through　delivering　spatiotemporal　continuous　datasets　of　cropping　intensity　in　China　during　the　past　30　years.　Cropping　intensity　data　were　derived　by　a　wavelet　features-based　method　based　on　the　long-term　weekly　global　EVI2　(Enhance　Vegetation　Index　with　two　bands)　at　0.05°　spatial　resolution　(5 km)　from　1982　to　1999　and　8-day　composite　500 m　Moderate　Resolution　Imaging　Spectroradiometer　(MODIS)　surface　reflectance　products　from　2001　to　2013.　The　remote-sensing　estimated　images　in　2013　agreed　well　with　field　survey　data　(overall　accuracy = 91.63%)　and　the　national　agricultural　census　data　(r　2　 = 0.89).　Results　revealed　that　the　cropping　intensity　remarkably　increased　during　1982–1999　but　slightly　declined　during　2001–2013.　The　overall　cropping　intensity　increased　from　1.34　in　the　1980s　to　1.41　in　the　1990s,　and　then　dropped　to　an　average　of　1.36　after　2000.　From　1982　to　1999,　approximately　93,225 km　2　single-cropped　areas　changed　to　double-cropping,　primarily　those　located　in　the　North　China　plain.　However,　39,883 km　2　double-cropped　areas　were　turned　back　into　single-cropping　areas　from　2001　to　2013,　principally　located　in　the　North　China　plain,　the　Middle-lower　Yangtze　River　plain,　and　the　hill　regions　of　the　southern　Yangtze　River.　This　reverse　trend　of　cropping　intensity　was　due　to　combined　effects　from　the　corresponding　reverse　variations　in　agricultural　population,　increasing　agricultural　mechanical　power,　positive　agricultural　policy.　The　agricultural　duty　free　policy　has　only　immediate　effects　on　stabilizing　cropping　intensity　in　croplands　with　more　favorable　biophysical　conditions.　©　2017　Elsevier　Ltd