Soil science plays an important strategic role in ensuring sustainable development of the agriculture and the construction of ecological civilization in China. This paper briefly reviews the status quo and development trend of soil science research at home and abroad, analyzes national strategic needs and key scientific issues of the research on soil science in the future, and collates priority aspects and key strategic directions of the soil science of China over the next 5-10 years, such as earth’s critical zone process and evolution of soil functions, theories and technologies for improvement of farmland soil health and quality, regional soil mixed pollution processes and green remediation, soil biological process and function, in an attempt to further promote leaping development of the soil science in China.