Arable land is one of the most important resources for agriculture. Quality of the arable land is an important basis for food security of the nation, and quality safety of agricultural produce. Based on the literature available, the status quo of the study on conception of and evaluation methods for arable land quality was generalized and summarized. It is held that arable land quality is a multi-level conception, containing four levels of connotations, i.e. soil quality, geographic quality, management quality and economic quality, and its evaluation indices include natural and socio-economic factors. On such a basis, changes in the arable land quality of China was analyzed. It was found that on the whole the arable land quality of the country is quite low. However, its fertility quality，management quality and economic quality are gradually turning good while its health quality and environmental quality are getting worse and the problems of arable land quality in some areas are very serious. In light of the situation of the country, proposals are brought forward for construction and management of the arable land quality in China.