The men's C-2 1000 metres event was an open-style, pairs canoeing event conducted as part of the Canoeing at the 1988 Summer Olympics program.
The top four finishers from each of the heats advanced directly to the semifinals and the remaining five teams were relegated to the semifinal.
The Chinese team's intermediate times were not recorded in the official report.
The top three finishers from the repechage advanced to the semifinal.
The top three finishers from each semifinal advanced directly to the final.