China established its new mechanism for meteorological service for disaster prevention and mitigation in the eve of the 17th CPC Congress. In September 2007, China preliminarily set up the “government-leading, department-cooperating and society-participating” mechanism for meteorological service for disaster prevention at the iconic National Meteorological Conference for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Correspondingly, a meteorological disaster defense system consisting of disaster monitoring, early warning, information release, and popularization of disaster prevention and mitigation knowledge has taken shape, pushing the shift from weather forecast service to monitoring and early warning services of disastrous weather.

On January 27, 2010, the State Council promulgated Meteorological Disaster Defense Regulations, further streamlined the rights and obligations relationship among governments of all levels, related authorities and social public in meteorological disaster defense, established and improved the “government-leading, department-cooperating and society-participating” meteorological disaster defense mechanism. 

So far, a total of 1,065 county-level meteorological disaster defense plans have been launched, 1,215 counties have carried out meteorological disaster emergency preparation certification, and 2,300 counties historical meteorological disaster surveys in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities). And 26 counties of 30 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) have established local meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation institutions. And 30 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) have set up meteorological disaster site investigation systems. Meteorological disaster risk regionalization has been rolled out in 1,158 counties. Village meteorological informants have been designated in 24 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities).

China Meteorological Administration(CMA) has actively carried out Meteorological Disaster Defense Regulation, National Meteorological Disaster Defense Plan (2009-2020), Opinions on Strengthening Meteorological Disaster Monitoring, Early Warning and Information Release and other laws and regulations, established the inter-ministry informant meeting for meteorological disaster early warning with 27 members, and launched the CMA meteorological disaster early warning inter-ministry coordination platform and CMA meteorological decision MMS.  

CMA has actively taken part in the formulation and implementation of the Master Plan for the Control of Medium and Small Rivers, Reinforcement of Risky Reservoirs, Prevention of Mountain Torrents and Geological Disasters initiated by National Development and Reform Commission, and jointly pushed forward the county-level administrative measures for nationwide mountain torrents and disaster prevention with Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Land and Resources. 

CMA has inked cooperation agreements or memorandums of understanding with departments for civil affairs, land and resources, traffic and transport, agriculture, health, safety supervision, forestry, tourism, ocean, power, surveying and mapping, etc.

Meanwhile, meteorological authorities have strengthened popularization and education on meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation knowledge in rural areas, campuses, communities, enterprises, buses and trains.