In order to reveal spatial and temporal variation and related influencing factors of rice yield in Southwest China, the rice production data were analyzed in four administrative regions including Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Chongqing during 1978-2013 years. The results showed that the rice production increased by 40.0% during 1978-2013 years in Southwest China, with the higher increase during 1980s-1990s and keeping relatively stable after 1990. Meanwhile, rice planting area was reduced by 11.0%, which indicated an adverse condition that may restrict sustainable rice production. Rice planting area in Sichuan accounted for more than 45% in Southwest China and rice planting area in Yunnan showed increasing trend since 2000, which was the basic condition that ensured large increase in rice production during 1980s-1990s. Rice yield improvement was a key factor to promote higher rice production; however, the rice yield was still lower than 7 000 kg/hm~2. Climate change posed an adverse effect on higher rice yield in this stage, particularly in Sichuan and Yunnan. Taken together, basic measures should be carried out to ensure the sustainable rice production such as inhibiting planting area reduction in Sichuan, Guizhou and Chongqing, keeping steady increase in Yunnan. In addition, major ways should be taken to breed high-yielding varieties with stress resistance, to create new cultivation techniques in combination with prevention and reduction of natural disasters in rice production, particularly in Sichuan and Yunnan.