To advance our understanding of the interactions between sedimentary, palaeontological, palaeogeographic, palaeoclimatic changes and tectonics in China's Tethyan Tectonic Domain, we contribute the special issue spanning from the Neoproterozoic to the Holocene. The 20 papers can be categorized into two thematic groups: (1) interconnections between sedimentary, palaeogeographic features and tectonics during the evolution of the Proto-Tethyan Ocean, and (2) interconnections among sedimentary, palaeontological, palaeoclimatic features and tectonics during the evolution of the Palaeo-Tethyan and Neo-Tethyan oceans and the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. This contribution offers critical insights into the evolution of Tethyan oceans and plateau uplift, exemplifying the complex feedback and interaction between Earth's interior and surface processes. We think the collection will attract readers from diverse disciplines within the geosciences.