Water-energy　nexus　(WEN)　is　an　international　hot-spot　issue,　while　more　attentions　have　been　paid　to　the　direct　nexus　effect　resulting　from　production　activities.　In　this　context,　this　study　firstly　used　the　multiregional　inputoutput　(MRIO)　analysis　to　offer　a　full　spectrum　of　water　and　energy　usage　throughout　the　whole　supply　chain　in　China,　considering　production-based　perspective　and　betweenness-based　and　consumption-based　perspectives.　And　then　the　principal　components　analysis　(PCA)　was　applied　to　further　target　the　critical　WEN　sectors　in　Chinese＇s　30　provinces.　The　results　show　that:　(1)　For　most　of　these　provinces,　the　direct　WEN　pressure　caused　by　production　activities　can　be　found　in　several　traditional　resource-intensive　sectors,　especially　in　S22　(Production　and　supply　of　electric　power　and　steam)　and　S14　(Smelting　and　pressing　of　metals).　(2)　The　most　critical　transmission　sectors　with　WEN　pressure　was　S12　(Manufacture　of　chemicals　and　chemical　products),　followed　by　S14　in　most　of　these　province.　S22　was　the　key　transmission　center　in　several　provinces,　and　S7　(Manufacture　of　textile)　in　Fujian　and　Hubei　and　S10　(Papermaking　and　printing)　in　Zhejiang　and　Hainan　should　also　be　highly　concerned.　(3)　For　all　of　these　provinces,　the　indirect　WEN　pressure　driven　by　final　consumption　appeared　in　S24　(Construction　industry).　In　addition,　S16　(Manufacture　of　general　and　special-purpose　machinery)　and　S17　(Manufacture　of　Transport　equipment)　were　the　other　two　key　consumption-based　WEN　sectors　in　some　provinces.　Overall,　the　WEN　pressures　in　Jiangsu　were　relatively　great　in　China,　and　S12　in　Hubei　was　the　only　sector　facing　great　WEN　pressure　from　all　three　perspectives.　Our　results　can　draw　implications　for　regional　sustainable　development　in　China.　(c)　2021　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.