Clonorchis sinensis is considered a class I carcinogen for cholangiocarcinoma, but an increasing number of studies have found that it is also closely associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. This paper reviews the discovery and prevalence, historical studies, key regional studies, animal models and complications of Clonorchis sinensis, and summarizes the possible molecular mechanisms of Clonorchis sinensis contributing to hepatocellular carcinoma development, in order to gain insight into the correlation between Clonorchis sinensis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and thus to provide new ideas for the study of the effects of Clonorchis sinensis infection on hepatocellular carcinoma.