The role of Geodesy, as the datum of surveying and mapping, for providing the fundamental frame of Geographical Information System is briefly discussed. The establishment of national horizontal, vertical and gravity datum in China is reviewed.  The international background for the development of  geodesy  at presentis introduced. The goals and tasks of the development of geodesy in next 5~10 years in China are suggested, such as the establishment of Chinese modern geodetic coordinate frame and gravity datum, and the renew of Chinese vertical datum.