Automatic mining technology is the ideal path and the inevitable way to improve production efficiency, reduce labour intensity and ensure safety for thin coal seam. Recently, while automatic mining technology is increasingly applied in China for thin seams, the corresponding automatic cutting technology has made new advances. Among them, mnemonic cutting technology has been fruitful industrial tested with suitable conditions. Simultaneously, another one called cutting trace pre-set technology of the shearer has been put forward. Using this method, the cutting trace in the area with coal thickness changed and geological structures can be preset. What's more, self-adaptive regulation strategy of cutting trace based on coal-rock recognition by monitoring current of cutting motor was discussed. Then, the main problems and development trends of automatic mining in China was also proposed.