AbstractRecent 0.2Ma evolvement of lithosphere in the China mainland is modeled by finite element analysis. The effects of collision between Eurasia and Indian plates on the strain and stress fields in the Chinese mainland are studied. Combining with GPS surveys, seismological data and geological analysis, we try to probe into the basic pattern of strain and stress fields in this region on the time scales of several million years, 0.1 million years and tens of years. The results show that the India‐Eurasia collision and the stress environment caused by the continuous northward extrusion of the Indian plate play a key role in controlling the tectonic movement and lithosphere evolution of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding regions, while in the remote regions the effects become weak. Faults and gravity potential cause significant effects on the eastern and the western parts of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau and Tarim Basin. In the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau, these effects increase the rate of lateral deformation. In the southern parts of Tibet, they create an extensional stress field; while in the Tarim Basin, they make it dextrorotate. The calculated horizontal velocities are in good agreement with the GPS surveys. However, in the vertical direction, quite large differences are observed in some areas, which means that modern uplifting of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau depends not only on the Indian‐Eurasian collision, but also on other kinds of mechanisms, such as mantle convection, isostatic effects and erosions. Calculated stress field is consistent with the observed data, implying that the Indo‐Asian collision has mainly controlled the principle compressive stress field in the western part of China, but other kinds of mechanisms, such as gravity and mantle convection, have very important influence on the eastern Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. The Indo‐Asian collision controls the seismicity of the western part of China, but except North China, where the seismicity is very active while the calculated stress level is very low. This puzzle probably means that other forces have made the North China block reactive.