The tectonic evolution history of the South China Sea (SCS) is important for understanding the interaction be-tween the Pacific Tectonic Domain and the Tethyan Tectonic Domain, as well as the regional tectonics and geodynamics during the multi-plate convergence in the Cenozoic. Several Cenozoic basins formed in the north margin of the SCS, which preserve the sedimentary tectonic records of the opening of the SCS. Due to the spatial non-uniformity among different basins, a systematic study on the various basins in the north margin of the SCS constituting the North Cenozoic Basin Group (NCBG) is essential. Here we present results from a detailed evaluation of the spatial-temporal migration of the boundary faults and primary unconformities to unravel the mechanism of formation of the NCBG. The NCBG is composed of the Beibu Gulf Basin (BBGB), Qiongdongnan Basin (QDNB), Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) and Taixinan Basin (TXNB). Based on seismic profiles and gravity-magnetic anomalies, we confirm that the NE-striking onshore boundary faults propagated into the north margin of the SCS. Combining the fault slip rate, fault combination and a comparison of the un-conformities in different basins, we identify NE-striking rift composed of two-stage rifting events in the NCBG:an early-stage rifting (from the Paleocene to the Early Oligocene) and a late-stage rifting (from the Late Eocene to the beginning of the Miocene). Spatially only the late-stage faults occurs in the west part of the NCBG (the BBGB, the QDNB and the west PRMB), but the early-stage rifting is distributed in the whole NCBG. Temporally, the early-stage rifting can be subdivided into three phases which show an eastward migration, resulting in the same trend of the primary unconformities and peak faulting within the NCBG. The late-stage rifting is subdivided into two phases, which took place simultaneously in different basins. The first and second phase of the early-stage rifting is related to back-arc extension of the Pacific subduction retreat system. The third phase of the early-stage rifting resulted from the joint effect of slab-pull force due to southward subduction of the proto-SCS and the back-arc extension of the Pacific subduction retreat system. In addition, the first phase of the late-stage faulting corresponds with the combined effect of the post-collision extension along the Red River Fault and slab-pull force of the proto-SCS subduction. The second phase of the late-stage faulting fits well with the sinistral faulting of the Red River Fault in response to the Indochina Block escape tectonics and the slab-pull force of the proto-SCS.