<p>After four decades of development, China's <i>Spirulina</i> industry has established a robust system that seamlessly integrates fundamental research with industrial applications. This study aims to explore China's significant role in advancing the global <i>Spirulina</i> industry through a combination of bibliometric analysis and research on technological evolution. The findings indicate that Chinese scholars have authored 55.44% of academic papers in this field, highlighting their dominant position. This academic strength has effectively translated into industrial competitiveness. Key technologies, such as high-yield strain optimization, CO₂ replenishment technology, and greenhouse raceway ponds, have accelerated the process of industrialization. As the world's largest producer, the annual production volume of the main producers in China is approximately 7,000 to 9,000 t. Cutting-edge omics and machine learning approaches are streamlining the discovery and scalable production of high-value bioactive peptides from <i>Spirulina</i>. Furthermore, the application of Spirulina in high-value-added products, including functional foods, animal feeds, and cosmetics, continues to expand. China's engineered innovations, notably acetate-amended mixotrophy (boasting a carbon conversion efficiency of 60–64%) and scalable biofilm-attached cultivation (achieving a CO₂ conversion efficiency of 75.1%), work synergistically with flue gas utilization to realize over 90% CO₂ uptake in pilot biomass power plants. Looking forward, research will utilize innovative gene-editing tools like CRISPR to enhance the production of high-value compounds. On the production side, thorough life cycle assessments (LCA) and techno-economic analyses (TEA) will be carried out to quantify carbon-negative production. As policies and standards continue to evolve, these advancements will solidify <i>Spirulina</i>'s role as a fundamental component of the circular bioeconomy, offering a scalable model for global microalgal innovation.</p>