Abstract: Magnesium phosphate cement has a short setting time and high early strength, and has broad prospects in civil buildings such as airport runways, tunnels, mines, and emergency repairs of national defense projects. However, magnesium phosphate cement hydrates very quickly and has a very short setting time, resulting in the inability to carry out engineering construction. This article summarizes the new achievements in the influence of factors such as raw materials, retarders, and admixtures on the setting time of magnesium phosphate cement at present, as well as new measures to improve the compactness, adhesion, and frost resistance of magnesium phosphate cement. It also looks forward to the development prospects of magnesium phosphate cement.