China and Natural Disasters: Prospects and Policies

Abstract

In the past 30 years, China has been engaged in developing a modern disaster relief system and policy in line with international practice, emphasizing the standardized procedure, regularization and legalisation of the mitigating measures, the primacy of protecting human life, careful advance preparation and capacity development. The leading role of the state and the approach of political mobilization in responding to devastating disasters remains the salient feature, while non-governmental organizations have emerged as an increasingly important part of the system. In terms of international cooperation, the Chinese government has also adopted a more positive attitude and plays a much more active role. The notion of human security has been integrated into the governmental policy discourse, and many efforts have been made to promote international collaboration and contribution. Both progress and underdevelopment, achievement and weakness in disaster relief system and policy are related to the great transformation in China in the last 30 years.