This paper describes the position and role of our soil erosion studies in the construction of national economy, outlines the achievements made in the past 40 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China and discusses the relevant problems that have to be further solved, such as ascertaining the present situation of soil-water losses and conservation, soil erosion prediction, sasesment of natural erosion and artificially accelerated erosion, soil erosion processes and xologieal environment evolution, soil erosion-soil productivity reaction patterns, and the relationship between the control and development of eroded areas and harnessing of rivers on the one hand, and the development of production in agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry on the other.