Based on the achievements of Sino-Swiss Cooperation Project on Dam Safety Enhancement, the safety regulations and safety management modes of dams in Switzerland were summarized briefly, and the corresponding safety monitoring and controlling mechanisms of the dams were deeply analyzed in this paper. The safety management mechanism and safety monitoring system of the reservoirs and dams in China were also summarized and analyzed. Based on the results, the similarities and differences of the dam safety monitoring mechanisms between the two countries were compared and analyzed. A clear, practical and effective dam safety monitoring mechanism has been formed in Switzerland. The dam safety monitoring mechanism established in China is similar to that in Switzerland, but it is insufficient and the awareness of active monitoring is not strong enough, resulting in a quite different actual result. Therefore, China can learn from the mature modes of dam safety monitoring in Switzerland and enhance the awareness of active safety monitoring. Meanwhile, the safety monitoring system based on the concept of risk management should be set up, and advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things are suggested to be introduced to improve the safety monitoring level for small reservoirs with the characteristics of great numbers and various functions.