A　low-cost　and　stable　Cu/SiO2　catalyst　with　a　commercial　SiO2　sphere　support　was　designed　and　prepared　for　vapor-phase　hydrogenation　of　dimethyl　oxalate　(DMO)　to　ethylene　glycol　(EG).　By　simply　thermal　pretreatment　before　ion　exchange,　the　catalytic　performance　and　long-term　stability　of　the　optimized　O-IE-Cu/SiO2　catalyst　are　dramatically　improved.　A　DMO　conversion　of　100%　and　an　EG　selectivity　of　96%　were　obtained　at　185　degrees　C　for　over　450　h.　Characterization　revealed　that　the　remarkably　enhanced　catalytic　performance　could　be　attributed　to　the　high　Cu　atom　utilization　efficiency,　which　was　associated　with　the　generation　of　copper　phyllosilicates　and　sufficient　utilization　of　silanol　(Si-OH)　groups　on　the　surface　of　SiO2　induced　by　the　thermal　pretreatment.　The　formation　of　abundant　Si-O-Cu　units　stemmed　from　copper　phyllosilicates,　and　ion　exchange　dramatically　enhanced　the　metal-support　interaction,　inhibited　the　growth　of　copper　species,　and　finally　improved　the　Cu-0　dispersion　and　Cu+/(Cu-0　+　Cu+)　ratio.　Therefore,　this　work　provides　a　facile　and　low-cost　approach　for　designing　stable　copper-based　catalysts　and　has　considerable　reference　value　for　their　practical　application　in　the　catalytic　hydrogenation　of　DMO　to　EG.