People-Centered Early Warning Systems (PCEWSs) is thought to be low-cost but effective, however, existing studies fail to discuss the basic characteristics of PCEWSs, how a PCEWSs should be built, and the extensible applications of PCEWSs. This study aims for making a significant contribution to the literature through the analysis of the PCEWSs trajectory of and fundamental shifts in policy pertaining to PCEWSs in the disaster domain in China. By using bibliometric analysis of policy documents, this study presents a comprehensive review of China's PCEWS policy system from 1977 to March 2020, which focuses on various types of disasters. The characteristics of policies and the contributing factors of the policy changes in each of the four phases are discussed in depth. Four main tendencies of PCEWSs are identified. This study provides a quantitative foundation for understanding the dynamic policy changes in China's PCEWSs and certain experience includes the disaster characteristics that PCEWSs are suitable to get involved, the orientation that experience and technology should be combined and multi agent participation which calls for more emphasis may serve as a basis for exploring the potential pathways to the effective PCWSs in other countries and regions.