Emergencies and crises are an inherent part of human existence, and they have been, are, and will be at the local, national, transnational, or international levels. They come in many shapes and forms conflicts, man-made accidents, and natural disasters chronically shatter the peace and order of societies, and they are built into the very fabric and fiber of modern societies. No organization seems to be immune to crisis, and has to prepare broadly for the unthinkable. The occurrence of crisis to an organization is no longer a matter of “if”, but “when”.

hina is one of the few countries, which are most frequently hit by natural disasters. It can be said that the five-thousand-year history of the Chinese civilization is a history of the Chinese people combating with various kinds of natural disasters. About 200 million Chinese, more than one-seven of the total population, suffer from natural disasters every year, which caused sharply increased people death and economic losses, and greatly restrained the sustainable social and economic development in China.

Facing the COVID-19 in 2020, we need a strategic crisis management to update our principles, decision making, planning, team work, communication and cooperation, and leadership of crisis management to prepare for near future. It is my great honor to participate in and witness the development of JSCM with scholars and colleagues from all over the world, and I wish JSCM will be taking a more critical role in this important field.