Abstract: New Democricetodon fossils from the Early Miocene of the Junggar Basin (northernXinjiang, China) are described. The specimens come from two localities within the Suosuoquan Formation, which have been dated by magnetostratigraphy to between 21.9 and 21.16 Ma (Aquitanian). This record of Democricetodon is the oldest so far known in Central and Eastern Asia. Two species are recognized: Democricetodon sui sp. nov. and Democricetodon? sp. The second species is based on few specimens, insufficient for secure taxonomic identification. Comparisons with other Early Miocene cricetids and re-examination of the type species ofSpanocricetodon confirm that D. sui is characteristic of the Xiejian age in Central Asia. Our comparisons also confirm that the genus Spanocricetodon sensu lato Li (1977) is valid and clearly differs from Democricetodon and Primus, and show that some species that have previously been assigned to Spanocricetodon actually belong to other genera. The clear differences between D. suiand Eucricetodon aff. E. caducus from the Late Oligocene of the same region indicate that D. sui is unlikely to have originated from the Paleogene cricetids in the region, but probably represents a species that immigrated to Central Asia.