Since Meso-Cenozoic

the China continental plate initiated a new plate tectonic cycle.The activity of convergence of the adjacent plate

espetially the Indian plate

resulted not only in extensive closing of the paleo-Tethys

but also in intense compression and collision against China's landmass

leading to crustal shortening

thickening

folding and extensive uplifting

accompanied by formation of some petroliferous basins controlled mainly by compression stress in West China.At the same time

activity of mantle plume was quite active in East China

which accelerated tectonic differentiation

extention and downwarping.As a result

in conjunction with additional activities such as subduction

compression and collision relative to the eastern Pacific plate

Philippine Sea plate and the southern Australia-Indian oceanic plate

as well as the precedent-tectonic difference

five types of extensional subsidence zones were developed parallel to intracontinental and proto-oceanic rift systems

accompanied by occurrence of petroliferous sedimentary basins under the influence of divergence which passing through continental to marine environment in their history of evolution.These zones and basins are 1) the paired back-arc epicontinental zone of subsidence with nearshore incipient rift basin

as examplified by Songliao in the north-east of China;2) ring-like extensional zone of subsidence with peninsula-embayment incipient rift basin

as examplified by Huabei and Pohai;3) extensional zone of subsidence in the domain of marginal sea with incipient rift of island type

sea-mount type

sea-floor plateau type and proto-oceanic rift system

as examplified by central trough in the South China Sea;4) pull-apart epicontinental extensional zone of subsidence with arc-continental collisional basin and inter-arc extensional basin

as examplified by those found in the East China Sea;5) small intracontinental extensional zone fo subsidence with incipient rift basins of intracontinental lake type

as examplified by those developed in Jianghan area.All these zones and basins have their own distinctive oil and gas reservoirs.Therefore

theoretically and practically it will be of definite significance to further study the tectonic development and evolution of series of gas and oil bearing basins in view of plate tectonics.