Abstract: The marine geodetic datum is a critical high-tech field essential for ocean development, attracting significant attention from major maritime nations worldwide. Countries such as the United States, Japan, the European Union, Canada, and Russia have been engaged in the development and deployment of marine geodetic reference frameworks since the 1960s, and have largely mastered the technologies associated with constructing underwater navigation and positioning reference station networks. In contrast, the construction of such underwater positioning and navigation reference station networks in China started relatively late. Currently, experiments on underwater reference station network construction have only been conducted in the South China Sea at water depths of 3000 meters. This paper systematically reviews the latest advancements in key technologies related to the development of underwater navigation and positioning reference stations, the construction of marine reference networks, and the application services for underwater navigation and positioning in major maritime countries. It analyzes the existing challenges in China's future underwater geodetic reference construction and discusses the developmental directions for the research, development, construction, and application services of China's underwater reference station networks.