Chinese Achaean greenstone belts are mainly distributed along the northern and southwestern margins of the North China platform. In terms of their geological characteristics, the greenstone belts in China are comparable to those in other countries but at the same time have unique features of their own. In view of their geochemistry, the Chinese greenstone belts may be grouped into three types: the Jiapigou type, Qingyuan type and Xiaoqinling type. The greenstone belts were formed possibly in a rift-type palaeo-tectonic setting, similar to that of the modern island are-continental margin mobile belts.