Abstract:In this study, the temporal and spatial distribution of earthquakes in the Tibetan Plateau was investigated; the results showed that over 70% of earthquakes with M ≥ 6 in the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau occurred during the peak period of seismicity. Based on the earthquakes that occurred in the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau, the earthquakes that occurred in the south-north seismic belt within a one-year time window were detected, and it was found that the occurrence time of medium-strong earthquakes in the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau was close to that of the earthquakes in the north-south seismic belt. The earthquakes that occurred in the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau had different correlations with those in the south, north, and middle sections of the north-south seismic belt. Regarding the frequency of seismicity, the correlation with that in the north section of the north-south seismic belt was the weakest, and the correlation with that in the south section was the strongest. However, in magnitude, the earthquakes that occurred in the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau were closely related to the large earthquakes in the north and middle sections of the north-south seismic belt and the medium earthquakes in the Yunnan and Myanmar structural transformation area. Furthermore, the large earthquakes in the north-south seismic belt were found to have the characteristics of reciprocating migration from north to south when the Haiyuan earthquake is taken as the initial earthquake. The earthquake migration between the middle part of the north-south seismic belt and the Yunnan Myanmar structural transformation area was more frequent, which indicates a close relationship exists between the seismic activities in the two regions. This study is of great significance to the seismic risk assessment of the north-south seismic belt.