Net primary productivity ( NPP) is a key variable in characterizing vegetation activity. NPP also plays an important role in evaluating ecosystem carrying capacity and understanding terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle. The present study estimated the NPP in China from 2001 to 2014 based on the GLASS remote sensing dataset. We also analyzed the spatial and temporal variation of vegetation NPP in China with linear regression and Empirical Orthogonal Function ( EOF) algorithms. By using correlation analysis and Singular Value Decomposition ( SVD) method, the relationship between NPP and temperature and the relationship between NPP and precipitation were obtained, respectively. The results showed that (1) NPP in China revealed a decreasing pattern from southeast to northwest due to the spatial variability of vegetation and climatic characteristics. NPP also had a fluctuating increase trend during our study period with values ranging between 3.02 and 3.49 PgC/a. The average value was approximately 3.25 PgC/a. (2) The linear regression and EOF results are consistent. Both results indicated that NPP presented a decreasing tendency in the lower Yangtze region, North China Plain, and Changbai mountain area. In the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, northwest, central Inner Mongolia, and southeast coastal areas of China,NPP showed an increasing tendency. (3) The correlation analysis between NPP and meteorological elements indicated that NPP was positively correlated with temperature in the Changbai mountain area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and southern area. NPP was also positively correlated with precipitation in the eastern Inner Mongolia and northwestern region. However, in the Northeast, Yangtze River, and east of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau area, NPP was negatively correlated with precipitation. The SVD results were consistent with the results of correlation analysis. We found significant correlations between NPP and temperature and precipitation. NPP was positively correlated with temperature in the Changbai mountain area, Inner Mongolia, and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau area. NPP was also positively correlated with precipitation in the northwest and central Inner Mongolia,whereas it was negatively correlated with precipitation in the lower Yangtze River and northeastern area.