Magnesium phosphate cement(MPC)has the advantages of fast setting speed,high early strength,high wear resistance and high adhesion,making it popular in the rapid repair of airport runways,highways and municipal roads,as well as the curing of harmful substances.However,the hydration of magnesium phosphate cement is very fast and the setting time is very short,which makes the engineering construction impossible.The new results of magnesium phosphate cement setting time affected by raw materials,retarder,admixture,mix ratio and other factors were reviewed.Its high brittleness limits its engineering application,and the research progress of various MPC matrix fiber composites was sorted out,and the development prospect of magnesium phosphate cement was discussed.