Effects　of　surface　characteristic　of　treated　activated　carbon　on　catalyst　for　vinyl　acetate　synthesis　from　acetylene　and　acetic　acid　were　studied.　Both　structure　and　catalytic　performance　were　improved　when　activated　carbons　were　treated　with　dilute　HNO3.　When　mass　fraction　of　HNO3　was　15%,　activity　of　the　catalyst　was　5.36%　higher　than　that　of　activated　carbon　with　no　treatment.　Surface　area　of　macro-　and　mesopores　increased　after　treatment.　Amount　of　oxygen-containing　groups　in　activated　carbon　was　increased　by　HNO3　oxidation.　Catalytic　activity　was　improved　with　increased　amount　of　lactonic　groups,　but　the　increase　of　hydroxy　groups　inhibited　the　reaction.　In　comparison　with　effects　of　texture　on　catalytic　activity,　those　of　oxygen-containing　groups　were　more　prominent.　The　reaction　mechanism　was　proposed.