China　has　established　the　River　Chief　System　(RCS)　to　develop　mechanisms　to　achieve　success　in　cross-regional　negotiations　of　the　Sustainable　Water　Resource　Management　Affairs　(SWRMA).　This　paper　aims　to　investigate　the　mechanisms　developed　by　RCS　and　social　welfare　brought　by　RCS　in　China,　and　thereafter　put　forward　suggestions　for　the　future　development　of　RCS.　Therefore,　a　one-stage　cooperation　game　was　used　to　investigate　cross-regional　SWRMA　negotiations　with　RCS.　The　results　showed　that　RCS　ensures　that　cooperative　solutions　are　chosen　in　cross-regional　SWRMA　negotiations.　Moreover,　this　paper　used　a　two-stage　game　to　explore　cross-regional　SWRMA　negotiations　without　involving　RCS.　In　this　case,　the　involvement　of　the　upper-level　administrators　and　the　probability　of　a　successful　negotiation　are　endogenously　determined　by　local　authorities.　The　results　showed　that　in　cross-regional　SWRMA　negotiations,　both　when　the　upper-level　administrators　are　involved　in　the　first　stage　and　in　the　second　stage,　the　cooperative　solutions　would　be　adopted.　Thus,　RCS　is　an　inevitable　outcome　of　the　cross-regional　SWRMA　negotiations.　In　addition,　RCS　could　help　to　avoid　transactional　costs　and　external　costs　in　cross-regional　SWRMA　negotiations.　Based　on　these　results,　this　study　provided　the　following　suggestions:　the　river　chief　and　local　authorities　of　RCS　should　be　stakeholders;　the　major　members　of　RCS　should　be　the　local　authorities　influenced　mostly　by　SWRMA　quantities;　RCS　should　actively　advertise　the　benefits　and　the　cost-down　of　SWRMA.　©　2019　Elsevier　B.V.