Abstract: This paper introduces briefly the flood control regimes in China's major rivers in the nineties of the 20th century, and focuses on their main characteristics, such as channel course shrink, reduction of river discharge capacity, upgrade of river stage, serious urban flood disasters, aggravation of flood and water-logging and rapid increase of flood disaster losses, etc. Based on the historical review of flood control strategies, the target and standard of flood-control and disaster mitigation are discussed, and the countermeasures of flood-control and disaster mitigation are also outlined.