The Xing'an-Inner Mongolia Orogenic Belt (XIMOB) exposed in the eastern section of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is generally thought to have resulted from closure of the Paleo-Asian ocean [Şengör et al., 1993]. However, the current hot debate is focused on whether the orogen formed through continuous subduction and accretion over a prolonged period of time until the closure of the Paleo-Asian ocean at the Early Triassic [Xiao et al., 2003], or through the subduction of the Paleo-Asian ocean and related collision in the Early-Mid Devonian [Xu et al., 2013], and the tectonic setting in the Late Paleozoic to Mesozoic has been a pivotal issue. In order to establish the tectonic framework and orogenic processes of XIMOB, systemic researches of petrology, geochemistry, phase equilibria and zircon geochronology were carried on the metamorphic rocks in the central Inner Mongolia, such as the Xilingol complex and the low-grade metamorphism in the Carboniferous to Permian sequences along the Solonker suture zone [Dong et al., 1986]. The results suggest that the Xilingol complex is characterized by clockwise P-T evolution with T max condition of 770-790 °C for a pressure of 5-6 kbar, being in typical hightemperature and low-pressure (HT-LP) type; and the low-grade metamorphism along the Solonker suture zone is characterized by clockwise P-T paths with the peak P-T conditions of metabasite and mica-schist being intermediate and low P/T series respectively.

Paleomagnetic study of China and its environs has been the center of a major international effort for the last 10 years. In this paper, we critically review all available paleomagnetic poles of Upper Permian to Tertiary age from the main blocks of China with the goal of placing constraints on models of the formation and the subsequent deformation of the region. After selecting “reliable” poles by applying objective criteria, we divide our analysis into first‐order (motions of blocks) and second order (deformation within blocks). For first order analysis, apparent polar wander paths are constructed for the major blocks. We discuss the compatibilities and contradictions between the geological and paleomagnetic records. A sequence of paleogeographic configurations taking into account geological constraints but remaining within paleomagnetic uncertainties is presented. In general, the major blocks were probably in contact throughout the Permian and Triassic, but the Jurassic was the key age during which most of the movement toward China's present configuration took place. Our reconstructions include certain details which are suggested by the paleomagnetic record but whose geological signatures seem to have been hidden by subsequent events. During the Cretaceous, Chinese poles agree with poles from other continents transferred onto Eurasia. At the second order, we observe that for almost each period with sufficient data the paleomagnetic poles are streaked along a small circle centered on the sampling region, indicating that much of China has been affected by small (< 20°) differential rotations. This we interpret as deformation caused in part by the extrusion of the Chinese blocks away from the Indian collision. The complete annotated list of poles is given as an appendix.

International audienceThe Chinese Tianshan belt is a major part of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt, extending westward to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Its Paleozoic tectonic evolution, crucial for understanding the amalgamation of Central Asia, comprises two stages of subduction-collision. The first collisional stage built the Eo-Tianshan Mountains, before a Visean unconformity, in which all structures are verging north. It implied a southward subduction of the Central Tianshan Ocean beneath the Tarim active margin, that induced the Ordovician-Early Devonian Central Tianshan arc, to the south of which the South Tianshan back-arc basin opened. During the Late Devonian, the closure of this ocean led to a collision between Central Tianshan arc and the Kazakhstan-Yili-North Tianshan Block, and subsequently closure of the South Tianhan back-arc basin, producing two suture zones, namely the Central Tianshan and South Tianshan suture zones where ophiolitic mélanges and HP metamorphic rocks were emplaced northward. The second stage included the Late Devonian-Carboniferous southward subduction of North Tianshan Ocean beneath the Eo-Tianshan active margin, underlined by the Yili-North Tianshan arc, leading to the collision between the Kazakhstan-Yili-NTS plate and an inferred Junggar Block at Late Carboniferous-Early Permian time. The North Tianshan Suture Zone underlines likely the last oceanic closure of Central Asia Orogenic Belt; all the oceanic domains were consumed before the Middle Permian. The amalgamated units were affected by a Permian major wrenching, dextral in the Tianshan. The correlation with the Kazakh and Kyrgyz Tianshan is clarified. The Kyrgyz South Tianshan is equivalent to the whole part of Chinese Tianshan (CTS and STS) located to the south of Narat Fault and Main Tianshan Shear Zone; the so-called Middle Tianshan thins out toward the east. The South Tianshan Suture of Kyrgyzstan correlates with the Central Tianshan Suture of Chinese Tianshan. The evolution of this southern domain remains similar from east (Gangou area) to west until the Talas-Ferghana Fault, which reflects the convergence history between the Kazakhstan and Tarim blocks