Objective The ecological environment in China's arid and semi-arid regions is highly vulnerable, with soil erosion posing a significant challenge. In light of climate warming, investigating the current state of soil water erosion in these regions is of critical importance.Methods Based on the RULSE model, the model factors and soil water erosion modulus for China's arid and semi-arid regions for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, 2015 and 2020 were calculated, and an accuracy validation (R²=0.60) was conducted. On the basis of the calculations and validation, the optimal parameter geographic detector was utilized to analyze the dynamic driving forces and changes associated with both single and interactive factors.Results 1) From 1990 to 2020, the average annual soil water erosion in China's arid and semi-arid regions amounted to 4.71×10¹⁰ kg, exhibiting a slight upward trend in the soil water erosion modulus at a rate of 0.000 7 t/(hm²·a). 2) The intensity of soil water erosion was predominantly characterized by slight to moderate erosion. The proportions of areas experiencing increases and decreases in soil water erosion intensity both rose, while the proportion of areas with stable soil water erosion intensity declined. 3) Slope, precipitation, and precipitation erosion force were identified as the primary single driving factors of soil water erosion in these regions from 1990 to 2020, with these three factors alternating as the main dominant factor throughout the study period. Interactions between any two selected factors enhances the explanatory power regarding soil water erosion, with the interaction between slope and precipitation erosion force consistently serving as the primary dominant interaction factor during the study period.Conclusion Overall, the soil water erosion situation in China's arid and semi-arid regions is experiencing slight deterioration. To effectively address this issue, it is crucial to consider topographical and precipitation characteristics concurrently when implementing management measures, in order to improve soil water erosion conditions in arid areas.