Based on analyzing the current situation and main existing problems of lake management in China, two strategy changes for lake management were put forward, i.e. change from multiple departments' separate management to watershed integrated management and change from water quality management to lake-watershed ecosystem management. Meanwhile, five specific measures for constructing a new lake management system were described: 1) setting up the lake-watershed integrated management system led by one department; 2) setting up the policy and regulation system for lake-watershed ecosystem management; 3) setting up the planning system based on lake-watershed ecosystem management; 4) setting up the measurement, standard and evaluation system for lake basins ecosystem; 5) enhancing the guarantee system setup for lake basins ecosystem management.