Understanding　the　water-energy　(WE)　nexus　is　crucial　for　addressing　water　scarcity　and　high　energy　consumption　issues　in　China.　However,　few　studies　have　analyzed　the　WE　nexus　and　the　drivers　of　the　spatiotemporal　changes.　To　fill　in　this　gap,　we　quantified　the　provincial　energy,　water-related　energy,　water,　and　energy-related　water　footprints　(EF,　EFwat,　WF,　and　WFene,　respectively)　in　China　during　2002–2017　based　on　a　multiregional　input-output　model,　and　analyzed　the　drivers　underlying　their　changes.　Results　showed　that　Agriculture,　Manufacturing,　and　Energy　supply　were　dominant　sectors　in　the　WE　nexus,　showing　371.9　billion　m3　(bm3)　of　WF,　16.3　trillion　kWh　(TkWh)　of　EF,　and　0.2　TkWh　of　EFwat　on　average,　respectively.　Structural　adjustment　and　key　technological　advances　reduced　WF　by　272.6　and　265.4　bm3,　and　EF　by　4.3　and　2.8　TkWh,　respectively,　but　they　resulted　in　−0.1　and　−0.023　TkWh　of　WFene,　and　−2.3　and　10.2　bm3　of　EFwat,　respectively.　Final　demand　and　resource　consumption　intensity　effects　were　respectively　the　main　accelerator　and　suppressor　of　resource　footprints　during　2002–2017.　Upgrading　industrial　chains　and　phasing　out　backward　production　capacity　could　promote　water　and　energy　conservation　simultaneously.　This　study　provides　a　scientific　basis　for　comprehensive　policymaking　toward　sustainable　water　and　energy　management.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd