Abstract: On January 22,1998 the 12th Conference of Rhine Ministers adopted the "Action Plan on Flood Defence" in Rotterdam,Netherlands,implying expenses of up to 12 billion ECU.This Action Plan aimed at the improvement of precautionary flood protection will be implemented within the next twenty years.Its content and countermeasures,as well as the thinking and models for sustainable management at watershed level in Europe can be taken example by the flood protection and floodplain management in our great river catchments in China.