The invention discloses a cooperative communication method and a target user end and belongs to the communication technical field. The method comprises the following steps of: receiving signal vectors forwarded by relay user ends through a channel; detecting the signal vectors according to a minimum mean square error method to obtain first detection signals; approximating target user end noise vectors in the first detection signals according to a Gaussian approximation method to obtain second detection signals; performing log likelihood ratio calculation on the second detection signals; and performing de-interleaving and convolutional code decoding on the signals which have been subjected to the log likelihood ratio calculation so as to obtain original transmitting signals. According to the cooperative communication method of the invention, through cooperative communication of the relay user ends and the target user end, a single antenna can be utilized to transmit and receive signals at each user end, and therefore, limitations of a MIMO communication mode at communication terminals such as handheld communication terminals, aircrafts and vehicles in the aspects such as modification, cost and power consumption can be eliminated.