Crop germplasm resources are not only critical to breaking through current bottlenecks in breeding and the development of the seed industry, but also vital to the sustainable and high-quality survival of future generations. The cause of crop germplasm resources is a long-chain systematic undertaking with public welfare and strategic significance. A review of the international development of crop germplasm resources reveals the following trends: germplasm collecting is moving toward diversified gap-filling development; germplasm conservation is advancing toward multi-dimensional and secure management; germplasm characterization is upgrading to large-scale and precise evaluation; germplasm enhancement are expanding toward targeted and diversified approaches; basic research is progressing toward in-depth and interdisciplinary exploration; and germplasm sharing are extending toward standardized and regulated practices. On this basis, this paper puts forward the priorities and development directions for the conservation and utilization of crop germplasm resources in China in the future.