A positioning operation method, comprising: receiving, by a network exposure function entity in a communications system, an identifier of a terminal and first positioning operation information from a third-party device , wherein the first positioning operation information is used to request a first positioning operation on the terminal; determining (S102), by the network exposure function entity based on the identifier of the terminal, a location management function entity that provides a location service for the terminal; sending (S103), by the network exposure function entity , a first message to the location management function entity , wherein the first message comprises the first positioning operation information; receiving, by the network exposure function entity , positioning information of the terminal from the location management function entity ; and sending, by the network exposure function entity , the positioning information of the terminal to the third-party device , wherein the determining, by the network exposure function entity based on the identifier of the terminal, a location management function entity that provides a location service for the terminal comprises: sending, by the network exposure function entity , the identifier of the terminal to a unified data management platform ; and receiving, by the network exposure function entity , information about the location management function entity from the unified data management platform . receiving, by a network exposure function entity in a communications system, an identifier of a terminal and first positioning operation information from a third-party device , wherein the first positioning operation information is used to request a first positioning operation on the terminal; determining (S102), by the network exposure function entity based on the identifier of the terminal, a location management function entity that provides a location service for the terminal; sending (S103), by the network exposure function entity , a first message to the location management function entity , wherein the first message comprises the first positioning operation information; receiving, by the network exposure function entity , positioning information of the terminal from the location management function entity ; and sending, by the network exposure function entity , the positioning information of the terminal to the third-party device , wherein the determining, by the network exposure function entity based on the identifier of the terminal, a location management function entity that provides a location service for the terminal comprises: sending, by the network exposure function entity , the identifier of the terminal to a unified data management platform ; and receiving, by the network exposure function entity , information about the location management function entity from the unified data management platform . sending, by the network exposure function entity , the identifier of the terminal to a unified data management platform ; and receiving, by the network exposure function entity , information about the location management function entity from the unified data management platform . <EOS>