Trends in the number of severe storms defined using the 95th and 99th percentiles of 6-hourly pressure changes were analyzed for 268 stations in mainland China over the period 1954--2004. Significant decreases were detected in northeastern, central and western parts of the country over the past 50 years, mainly due to the reduction of severe storms in winter and spring. In contrast, some stations on the east coast and in the southeast exhibited significant increasing trends, particularly during the typhoon season (June--October). Significant increasing trends in the maximum wind speed and decreasing trends in the lowest central pressure of landfalling tropical storms and typhoons are also found during the past half century. Thus the typhoon influence over east and southeast China has intensified.