Governmental crisis management is always an important research task in western developed countries

but in China it comparatively lags behind both in theory and practice. Recently SARS has been spreading in China furiously

the governmental crisis management system is suffering a unprecedented baptism. SARS crisis exposes the shortcomings of China governmental crisis management system

for example

the crisis consciousness is weak

the response ability is slow

the information is not published well

the special organization is absent and the legal system construction lags behind

etc. SARS brings our governmental crisis management system not only a challenge but also a good reform chance. We must catch the chance and innovate the governmental crisis management system by taking some necessary measures to improve the governmental crisis management ability

which includes strengthening the governmental crisis consciousness

improving the governmental crisis response ability

reforming the governmental information publishing system

setting up special crisis management organization

and intensifying the correlative legal system construction.