Background The association between IGF2BP2 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been repeatedly confirmed among different ethnic populations. However, in several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from the Chinese Han population, the gene IGF2BP2 has not been replicated. The results of relevant studies for the association between IGF2BP2 and T2DM showed controversy in Chinese Han population. It is necessary to systematically evaluate the contribution of common variants in IGF2BP2 to T2DM in Chinese Han population. Methods Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs4402960 and rs1470579) in IGF2BP2 were genotyped in Chinese Han population (3807 controls/4531 T2DM cases) by Illumina GoldenGate Indexing assay. The association between SNPs and T2DM was evaluated by multiple Logistic Regression analysis. A meta-analysis was used to estimate the effects of IGF2BP2 in 20854 Chinese Han individuals. Results rs1470579 and rs4402960 were confirmed to have strong association with T2DM in the Chinese Han population (rs1470579 P=1.80x10(-7), OR (95% CI)=1.22 (1.14-1.32), rs4402960 P=7.46x10(-9), OR (95% CI) = 1.26 (1.17-1.37), respectively). Moreover, 11 studies for rs4402960 were included in the meta-analysis and 7 studies for rs1470579. The meta-analysis also showed the association between T2DM and IGF2BP2 (rs1470579 OR of 1.15 (95% C1=1.10-1.19), P <0.0001 under an additive model and rs4402960 OR of 1.14(95% CI=1.10-1.18), P<0.0001 under an additive model). Conclusion IGF2BP2 was strongly associated with the risk of T2DM in Chinese Han population.