It is a basically problem to optimize the cutting paths for increasing the efficiency of high power beam cutting. The optimization of cutting paths is different from the traditional traveling salesman problem (TSP) on the limitation that a local circle in cutting paths should be cut in a certain order. A transformation method for optimization problem of cutting paths to TSP was introduced to solve this problem, and the TSP was solved by genetic algorithm. The optimum results for the TSP can be transformed back to the solution for optimization of cutting paths. The numerical simulated results show that this method is effective on optimization of high power beam cutting paths.  