Drought,　a　complex　phenomenon　exacerbated　by　climate　change,　is　influenced　by　various　climate　factors.　The　escalating　global　temperatures　associated　with　climate　change,　impact　precipitation　patterns　and　water　cycle　processes,　consequently　intensifying　the　occurrence　and　severity　of　droughts.　To　effectively　address　and　adapt　to　these　challenges,　it　is　crucial　to　identify　the　dominant　climate　factors　driving　drought　events.　In　this　study,　we　utilized　the　1979-2018　Chinese　meteorological　forcing　dataset　to　calculate　the　daily　Standardized　Precipitation　Evapotranspiration　Index　(SPEI).　The　Theil-Sen　and　Mann-Kendall　(M-K)　tests　were　employed　to　analyze　the　spatial　and　temporal　trends　of　drought　severity　and　duration.　Additionally,　partial　correlation　analysis　was　conducted　to　examine　the　relationship　between　climate　factors　(precipitation　and　potential　evapotranspiration　(PET))　and　drought　characteristic　(drought　severity　and　duration).　Through　this　comprehensive　analysis,　we　aimed　to　identify　the　primary　factors　influencing　drought　severity　and　duration.　The　findings　revealed　the　following　key　results:　(1)　Over　the　40-year　period　from　1979　to　2018,　drought　trends　in　China　and　its　seven　climate　divisions　exhibited　an　increasing　pattern.　(2)　During　drought　periods,　most　regions　exhibited　a　positive　correlation　between　PET　and　drought　severity　and　duration,　while　precipitation　demonstrated　a　negative　correlation.　However,　certain　areas　experiencing　severe　drought　displayed　a　negative　correlation　between　PET　and　drought　severity　and　duration,　precipitation　demonstrated　a　positive　correlation　with　drought　severity　and　duration.　(3)　PET　emerged　as　the　dominant　climatic　factor　for　meteorological　drought　in　the　majority　of　China.　These　findings　contribute　valuable　insights　for　policymakers　in　the　development　of　climate　change　adaptation　and　mitigation　strategies.　By　understanding　the　dominant　climate　factors　driving　drought　events,　policymakers　can　implement　effective　measures　to　mitigate　the　adverse　socioeconomic　and　environmental　impacts　associated　with　climate　change.