Abstract

In this paper a comprehensive analysis of geological, geophysical, acromagnetic and drilling data suggests that the marine basins on both sides or the fault along western border of east China sea and Bciwci–Shenhu fault in south China sea are different in their geotectonic nature or basement and types and evolution of the Cenozoic sedimentary basins. Basement of marine basin to morthwest of the faults is an extended part or the Caledonican south China tectonic belt, where the late Cretaceous–early Tertiary sedimentary basin is usually characterized by continental continental rift. Since the Neogene, the sedimentary basin has displayed its evolutional nature or extemsive bulk subsidence. In the shlf basin of east China sea southeast of the faults, paleogene system–lower miocene series is characterized by sediments of geosynclinal type, Neogene orogeny consecutively occured, and upper Miocene lower pliocene deposits in the central part or the basin has been compressed to from a series of NNE bar–shape structures and accompanied with reverse faults. Apparently, here is a northeast–extending marine part of the Himalayan tectonic fold belt west or the meridianal valley in eastern Taiwan. This tectonic fold belt continuosly extends northeasterly to the area or Goshimg Islcs in southwestern sea of Japan and Tusima Island in the korea strait.

The East China Sea (ECS) and its adjacent sea areas is one of several major marginal basins developed in back of Pacific island arcs. Great attention has been paid by Chinese and foreign geoscientists to the tectonic characteristics and evalution of this region. It is seem to be one of the key problems in our understanding the relationship between East Asia continent and West Pacific tectonics.

Since 70’s, extensive geophysical and geological surveys have been made in ECS and its adjacent areas, large amount of valuable data has been obtained, and a division of tectonic units of this region has been made (Wagcman et al., 1970; jin et al., 1981; Feng et al., 1982). These studies provided an useful scientific basis for the exploration and assesment of the oil and gas resources. Nevertheless, there are many debates and poorly understood problems on the tectonic characteristics and dynamic mechanism or this region. The purpose of this paper is to provide a general review and preliminary discussion of these problems and draw further attention on them.