Global climate action requires active participation at the city level. This study examines the development and evolution of urban climate governance in China from an international comparative perspective. First, the research reviews national-level climate policy documents, which shows the initiation, development, and deepening stage of urban climate governance in China since 2007. Second, applying the “Awareness-Analysis-Action” framework, the study investigates the progresses of climate governance in urban China, based on low-carbon policy texts and climate adaptation plans of Chinese cities from 2010 to 2024. Our policy content analysis indicates that China performs well in terms of climate awareness, with clear definitions of concepts, goals, and principles. There is, however, a significant deficiency in the identification of climate change risks. The mentioning of climate analysis is weak, particularly in terms of vulnerability assessment. In the climate action dimension, Chinese cities score high, particularly in renewable energy development and implementation monitoring. Lastly, comparing with California in the United States and Indian cities, Chinese cities show distinct climate governance characteristics: higher in climate awareness and climate action, but lower in climate analysis. Overall, climate activities in urban China are strong in top-down coordination, but with insufficient internal drivers. This study expands the literature of urban climate governance from an international comparative perspective, reveals the characteristics of urban climate governance in China, and proposes policy recommendations. It also sheds light on the further development of urban climate governance in China and the advancement of global climate governance.