The debate on the Mesozoic tectonics of the South China Block (SCB), featuring a broad orogenic belt and a large continental magmatic province, has been rejuvenated in the past years. There are a number of competing tectonic models, each predicting different time, space, and compositional evolutional trends for the Mesozoic igneous rocks, including sporadic basalts. In this paper, we report high precision 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages and geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic data for basaltic rocks in central–eastern SCB. These results, together with a data compilation, indicate three evolutionary stages for the basalts. Stage 1 (195–160Ma) basalts occur only in inland SCB. They exhibit low initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (0.7038 to 0.7078), high ε Nd (t) values (−1.5 to 6.0) and ocean island basalt (OIB)-like geochemical characteristics such as low La/Nb ratios (0.6 to 1.4), implying negligible to minor lithosphere contamination. Stage 2 (160–110Ma) basalts, mostly from the same inland region with minor occurrence closer to the coast, are characterized by variable initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (0.7053 to 0.7102), εNd(t) values (−6.0 to 5.0) and low La/Nb ratios (0.9 to 1.8), indicating an enhanced asthenosphere–lithosphere interaction. Stage 3 (110 to ≤80Ma) basalts can be further divided into two sub-groups based on their geographic and geochemical variations. Basalts in the coastal regions are characterized by low εNd(t) values (−8.1 to 3.7) and variably high La/Nb ratios (up to 4.8) indicating a strong arc signature. On the other hand, basalts in the inland regions have high ε Nd (t) values (−1.9 to 6.8) and low La/Nb ratios (0.6 to 1.2) that are similar to the stage 1 basalts. We interpret these features as results of geodynamics processes related to the break-up, foundering and retreating of an early Mesozoic flat-subducted oceanic slab.