Synthetic Aperture Radar is the only instrument that can provide consistent remote sensing data for south China with persistent cloud cover and rain. In this paper, the potential of multi-temporal ERS, ENVISAT-1 and PALSAR data for land cover/land use classification and urban change detection was investigated at a test area in Fuzhou city, the capital of Fujian province in southeastern China. Both SAR backscatter intensity characteristics and interferometric data were analyzed. Two methods were carried out in the urban dynamics change detection: one was post-classification comparison, and the other one was multi-temporal image ratioing. The results from both classification and urban change detection were validated by field survey data and showed promising application of PALSAR and ESA SAR data in southeastern China.