Abstract: The cartography specifications and symbols of Chinese basic topographic maps are discussed and compared with design of foreign topographic maps in this paper. Based on it,the improvement of design of Chinese basic topographic maps is following,for raising the quality of Chinese basic topographic maps. 1) Improving the scale series and the documents of national basic topographic maps. 2) Building the standard, specfication and series of files of topographic map design. 3) Meeting the needs of social development. 4) Changing the old face of national topographic maps.