China’s scale of infrastructure development, large cement and concrete market, and substantial generation of industrial by-products create a distinctive setting for the development of geopolymer concrete (GPC). This review critically examines the state of GPC research and engineering development in China, with emphasis on fly ash, ground-granulated blast-furnace slag, steel slag, metakaolin, and other aluminosilicate precursors; alkaline activation; mixture design; curing; mechanical performance; durability; environmental performance; and implementation. The review synthesizes established international research with China-specific studies and standards. The evidence indicates that fly ash/slag-based GPC can provide high early or ultimate strength, dense microstructures, and useful resistance to chloride ingress, sulfate and acid exposure when precursor chemistry, activator composition, liquid-to-binder ratio, curing, and pore structure are appropriately controlled. At the same time, performance is highly mixture-dependent, and low-calcium fly-ash systems can exhibit carbonation, freeze–thaw, efflorescence, and ambient-curing limitations. China has already established a national standard for alkali-activated slag–fly ash concrete for corrosion-resistant cement products, GB/T 29423-2012, and a revised chemically activated concrete standard, GB/T 29423-2026, has been issued with implementation scheduled for 2027. The review argues that China’s greatest opportunity is not simply to substitute cement with a single geopolymer formulation, but to develop regionally adapted, performance-based alkali-activated concrete systems integrated with industrial-residue management, recycled aggregates, digital mix optimization, life-cycle assessment, and standardized durability testing. Key research priorities include precursor variability, activator supply-chain impacts, long-term carbonation and freeze–thaw behavior, reinforcement compatibility, leaching and environmental safety, construction-scale curing, quality assurance, and harmonized performance-based standards.
Keywords:Geopolymer concrete; alkali-activated materials; fly ash; blast-furnace slag; steel slag