A user plane resource management method, comprising: receiving, by a user plane network element in a core network, a data transmission channel establishment request message from a control plane network element in the core network, wherein the data transmission channel establishment request message requests the user plane network element to establish a data transmission channel, wherein the user plane network element is adapted to perform user plane functions of a node, the control plane network element is adapted to perform control plane functions of the node, wherein the node is a serving gateway or a packet data network gateway; establishing, by the user plane network element, the data transmission channel based on current user plane resource status information and assigning a channel identifier marking the data transmission channel; and sending, by the user plane network element, the channel identifier to the control plane network element, wherein before the receiving, by the user plane network element, the data transmission channel establishment request message from the control plane network element, the method further comprises: sending, by the user plane network element, a capability indication to the control plane network element, wherein the capability indication indicates that the user plane network element supports a channel management capability, wherein the channel management capability comprises at least one of or a combination of a plurality of the following: a channel identifier assignment capability, channel detection, and channel status reporting. receiving, by a user plane network element in a core network, a data transmission channel establishment request message from a control plane network element in the core network, wherein the data transmission channel establishment request message requests the user plane network element to establish a data transmission channel, wherein the user plane network element is adapted to perform user plane functions of a node, the control plane network element is adapted to perform control plane functions of the node, wherein the node is a serving gateway or a packet data network gateway; establishing, by the user plane network element, the data transmission channel based on current user plane resource status information and assigning a channel identifier marking the data transmission channel; and sending, by the user plane network element, the channel identifier to the control plane network element, wherein before the receiving, by the user plane network element, the data transmission channel establishment request message from the control plane network element, the method further comprises: sending, by the user plane network element, a capability indication to the control plane network element, wherein the capability indication indicates that the user plane network element supports a channel management capability, wherein the channel management capability comprises at least one of or a combination of a plurality of the following: a channel identifier assignment capability, channel detection, and channel status reporting. sending, by the user plane network element, a capability indication to the control plane network element, wherein the capability indication indicates that the user plane network element supports a channel management capability, wherein the channel management capability comprises at least one of or a combination of a plurality of the following: a channel identifier assignment capability, channel detection, and channel status reporting.