Interactions among CH₄ production, oxidation and emission in paddy soils with different moisture history was studied by pot and incubation experiments. Emission, production and oxidation of CH₄ in paddy soils were all strongly affected by soil moisture history. The wetter the soil in non-rice-growing season, the higher CH₄ flux and also the stronger CH₄ production and oxidation capacities in rice-growing season. Significant correlation existed not only between mean CH₄ flux and mean CH₄ production capacity, but also between their seasonal variations in rice-growing season. The relative difference of CH₄ production and emission explained very well the CH₄ oxidation potential of different treatments. It was CH₄ production, not CH₄ oxidation capacity, that mainly affected CH₄ emission in rice-growing season, but CH₄ oxidation buffered obviously CH₄ emission as CH₄ production increased. The ability of paddy soil itself to adjust its CH₄ oxidation capacity would be important to mitigate CH₄ emissions from rice fields.