A method for transmitting a clock packet, wherein the method comprises: generating, by a first network element, a first clock packet, wherein the first clock packet comprises a first source identity and first clock information, and the first source identity is used to indicate a device that provides the first clock information; sending, by the first network element, the first clock packet to a second network element, wherein the second network element is a device that forms a ring network with the first network element; receiving, by the first network element, a second clock packet sent by the second network element, wherein the second clock packet comprises a second source identity and second clock information, and the second source identity is used to indicate a device that provides the second clock information; and skipping tracking, by the first network element, the second clock information after determining that the second source identity is the same as the first source identity, the method characterized by: the device that provides the first clock information is a grandmaster clock device, and the generating, by a first network element, a first clock packet comprises: using, by the first network element, clock information obtained from the grandmaster clock device as the first clock information; using, by the first network element, an identity of the grandmaster clock device as the first source identity; and generating, by the first network element, the first clock packet according to the first clock information and the first source identity, wherein a packet header of the first clock packet comprises a reserved field, and the reserved field is used to carry the first source identity. generating, by a first network element, a first clock packet, wherein the first clock packet comprises a first source identity and first clock information, and the first source identity is used to indicate a device that provides the first clock information; sending, by the first network element, the first clock packet to a second network element, wherein the second network element is a device that forms a ring network with the first network element; receiving, by the first network element, a second clock packet sent by the second network element, wherein the second clock packet comprises a second source identity and second clock information, and the second source identity is used to indicate a device that provides the second clock information; and skipping tracking, by the first network element, the second clock information after determining that the second source identity is the same as the first source identity, the method characterized by: the device that provides the first clock information is a grandmaster clock device, and the generating, by a first network element, a first clock packet comprises: using, by the first network element, clock information obtained from the grandmaster clock device as the first clock information; using, by the first network element, an identity of the grandmaster clock device as the first source identity; and generating, by the first network element, the first clock packet according to the first clock information and the first source identity, wherein a packet header of the first clock packet comprises a reserved field, and the reserved field is used to carry the first source identity. using, by the first network element, clock information obtained from the grandmaster clock device as the first clock information; using, by the first network element, an identity of the grandmaster clock device as the first source identity; and generating, by the first network element, the first clock packet according to the first clock information and the first source identity, wherein a packet header of the first clock packet comprises a reserved field, and the reserved field is used to carry the first source identity.