CuO/CeO2　is　a　kind　of　promising　catalysts　for　the　water-gas　shift　(WGS)　reaction.　Efforts　were　put　in　to　improve　its　performance　through　modification　of　CeO2　support.　In　this　study,　portions　of　CeO2　prepared　by　a　co-precipitation　method　were　separately　annealed　at　300　°C　in　air,　under　vacuum　and　with　H2,　and　were　used　as　supports　for　the　fabrication　of　CuO/CeO2　catalysts.　The　physicochemical　properties　of　the　catalysts　were　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction,　N2-physisorption,　inductively　coupled　plasma,　Raman　spectroscopy,　CO2　temperature-programmed　desorption,　and　H2　temperature-programmed　reduction　techniques.　The　relation　between　catalytic　performances　and　physicochemical　properties　of　the　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　were　discussed.　Among　the　three　catalysts,　the　one　with　CuO　supported　on　H2-reduced　CeO2　shows　the　highest　catalytic　activity,　mainly　due　to　strong　CuO-CeO2　synergetic　interaction　and　high　concentration　of　Frenkel-type　oxygen　vacancies.　The　superior　catalytic　activities　can　also　be　attributed　to　the　Cu0　crystals　of　small　size　and　the　oxygen　vacancies　in　non-stoichiometric　CeO2-x.　©　2018　Wiley-VCH　Verlag　GmbH　&　Co.　KGaA,　Weinheim