Lithospheric tectonic units of China

Abstract: In light of the principle of combining the Earth's surface tectonics with deep tectonics, the paper proposes six principles that should be followed in the lithospheric tectonic unit division. Based on the geological and geochemical characteristics, especially the characteristics shown by the geophysical field, with the Helan Mountains-Sichuan-Yunnan latitudinal tectonic belt as the boundary, the authors preliminarily divide continental China and its adjacent sea areas into two first-order lithospheric tectonic units: the Central Asian lithospheric tectonic domain and East Asian lithospheric tectonic domains, which are subdivided into six second-order lithospheric tectonic units: the Xiyu lithospheric block, Qinghai-Tibet lithospheric block, Songliao lithospheric block, North China lithospheric block, South China lithospheric block and South China Sea lithospheric block. Their main geological, geophysical and geochemical characteristics are described separately. Finally, some problems concerning the lithospheric tectonic unit division are discussed and some views are presented.