Highlights:　Two　drought　indices　(SPEI　and　VPD)　were　used　to　characterize　the　degree　of　dryness/wetness.　The　water　deficit　represented　by　two　drought　indices　was　mostly　negatively　correlated　with　vegetation　GPP,　especially　in　summer　and　autumn.　The　negative　impact　of　water　deficit/drought　as　measured　by　SPEI　on　vegetation　GPP　was　more　severe　than　that　revealed　by　VPD.　During　drought,　both　SPEI　and　VPD　showed　that　drought　had　a　negative　impact　on　vegetation　GPP　in　North　China,　Southwest　China,　and　the　Qinghai–Tibet　Plateau.　Climate　change　has　exacerbated　the　frequency　and　severity　of　droughts　worldwide.　Evaluating　the　response　of　gross　primary　productivity　(GPP)　to　drought　is　thus　beneficial　to　improving　our　understanding　of　the　impact　of　drought　on　the　carbon　cycle　balance.　Although　many　studies　have　investigated　the　relationship　between　vegetation　productivity　and　dry/wet　conditions,　the　capability　of　different　drought　indices　of　assessing　the　influence　of　water　deficit　is　not　well　understood.　Moreover,　few　studies　consider　the　effects　of　drought　on　vegetation　with　a　focus　on　periods　of　drought.　Here,　we　investigated　the　spatial-temporal　patterns　of　GPP,　the　standardized　precipitation　evapotranspiration　index　(SPEI),　and　the　vapor　pressure　deficit　(VPD)　in　China　from　2001　to　2020　and　examined　the　relationship　between　GPP　and　water　deficit/drought　for　different　vegetation　types.　The　results　revealed　that　SPEI　and　GPP　were　positively　correlated　over　approximately　70.7%　of　the　total　area,　and　VPD　was　negatively　correlated　with　GPP　over　about　66.2%　of　the　domain.　Furthermore,　vegetation　productivity　was　more　negatively　affected　by　water　deficit　in　summer　and　autumn.　During　periods　of　drought,　the　greatest　negative　impact　was　on　deciduous　forests　and　croplands,　and　woody　savannas　were　the　least　impacted.　This　research　provides　a　scientific　reference　for　developing　mitigation　and　adaptation　measures　to　lessen　the　impact　of　drought　disasters　under　a　changing　climate.　©　2022　by　the　authors.