Objective: To analyze the incidence and mortality rates of esophagus cancer in China from 2008 to 2012. Methods: Incident and mortality cases of esophagus cancer were retrieved from the National Central Cancer Registry (NCCR) database collecting from 135 cancer registries in China during 2008-2012. The incidence and mortality rates of esophagus cancer were calculated by area (urban/rural), region (eastern, middle, western), gender and age group (0, 1-4, 5-84 by 5 years and 85+ years). China census in 2000 and Segi's world population were applied for age-standardized rates. Joinpoint model was used for time-trend analysis. Results: The crude incidence rate of esophagus cancer was 22.57/100,000. The age-standardized incidence rates by China standard population (ASIRC) and by world standard population (ASIRW) were 14.58/100,000 and 14.80/100,000, respectively. The crude mortality rate of esophagus cancer was 17.19/100,000. The age-standardized mortality rates by Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and by world standard population (ASMRW) were 10.80/100,000 and 10.86/100,000 respectively. Incidence and mortality rates of esophagus cancer were higher in males than in females and higher in rural areas than in urban areas. The crude incidence rate in middle areas was the highest among all areas, followed by western areas and eastern areas. The age-specific incidence rate of esophagus cancer was relatively low in age groups before 40 years old and then increased after 45 years old. It peaked in the age group of 80-84 years. The patterns of age-specific mortality rates of esophagus cancer were close to those of age-specific incidence rates. The ASIRC of esophagus cancer decreased dramatically by 29.87% between 2003 and 2012, from 14.33/100,000 to 10.05/100,000. The esophagus cancer incidence rate decreased by 3.76% per year (P>0.05). The mortality rate of esophagus cancer decreased annually over the decades from 2003 to 2012 in China (P>0.05). In females, the annual percentage change (APC) of mortality rate was -5.43% [95% confidence intervals (95% CI): -6.50%, -4.30%] (P<0.05) and the mortality rate of esophagus cancer in rural females was statistically significant (APC: -3.20%, 95% CI: -4.20%, -2.20%) (P<0.05). Conclusions: The focus of prevention and treatment for esophagus cancer is strengthening primary prevention of esophageal cancer, and promoting esophagus cancer secondary prevention to reduce incidence and mortality rates of esophagus cancer, prolong survival rate of patients and decline the burden of esophagus cancer in China.