On May 25, 1978, China and Oman established diplomatic relations. Since then, bilateral relations have been developing smoothly. In May 2018, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, President Xi Jinping and Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman exchanged congratulatory messages, announcing the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

The two countries have maintained friendly exchanges. In December 2022, President Xi Jinping met with Omani Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said on the sidelines of the first China-Arab States Summit and the first China-GCC (Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf) Summit. In addition, visits from the Chinese side to Oman in recent years mainly include: Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Wang Yang (November 2019), Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (March 2021), among others. Visits from the Omani side to China mainly include: Chairman of the Consultative Assembly Shura Council Khalid bin Hilal Al Mawali (May 2016), Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi (January 2022), among others.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been developing smoothly. China is the largest trading partner of Oman, and Oman is China's fourth largest trading partner among Arab states. In 2024, the trade volume between China and Oman reached USD 36.73 billion, of which China's exports amounted to USD 5.8 billion and imports totaled USD 30.93 billion. China mainly exports mechanical and electrical products, steel and its products, high-tech products, and textiles, and mainly imports crude oil. Oman is China's fifth largest source of crude oil imports. In 2024, China imported 40.773 million tons of crude oil from Oman.

Cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have been carried out smoothly. In November 1980, the Omani sailing ship "Sohar", which follows the design of the old wooden ships from previous eras and was ordered by Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, retraced the navigation path of the Omani navigator Abu Obeid (who came to China from Sohar, Oman in 750 A.D.) and arrived in Guangzhou in July of the following year. In December 1995, Oman funded the construction of the "Sohar" monument in Guangzhou. In January 2014, the "Sohar" reconstruction project was completed in Guangzhou. In May 2023, the Zheng He Monument was completed in Salalah City, Oman.

In 2006, Oman became an approved destination for Chinese tourists.