Abstract: Under the action of gravity, the powerful driving forces of recent tectonic movement affecting the studied plateau and adjacent areas are stemming from the crust of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Therefore, in Southwest China took place a flow of crustal materials toward the southeastern direction. Such flow possesses rather special nature, unlike the downhill sliding of the glacier. In the front of the flow can be found recent tectonic activities with different features due to the variations of resistance encountered. Moreover, the occurrence of earthquakes in Southwest China is also constrained by the material flow.The authors suggest that since the driving forces of recent tectonic activities in this area are in close relation to gravitational effect, the localized recent tectonic processes would be ascribed to the category of gravity tectonics.