Abstract: It is imperative that the ability to handle public health emergencies and manage public opinion be enhanced to safeguard national security and social stability. The Covid-19 epidemic in 2020 is used as sample and cases of Wuhan, Shanghai and Kunming are compared to analyze the governmental efforts in terms of public opinion management while taking into consideration development patterns and governance mechanism of public opinion. The authors contend that the governmental public opinion management system should be aimed at rebuilding trust relationship, guided by core-value orientation of consensus building and empowerment, supported by the focus-type authoritative discourse covering the whole public opinion field and voiced through the mainstream media. Moreover, the freedom baseline should be drawn to regulate the public opinion management mode.

Key words: public opinion management, public health emergency, Covid-19 epidemic