Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for selecting a negotiation counterpart, and the method is used by a first device in a network to select a negotiation counterpart. Specifically, the first device sends a discovery message in the network, and the discovery message includes a technical objective. The first device receives a first response message with which a second device replies, and receives a second response message with which a third device replies. The first response message carries information about a characteristic that is of the second device and that supports implementation of the technical objective, and the second response message carries information about a characteristic that is of the third device and that supports implementation of the technical objective. The first device can learn technical objective support degrees of the second device and the third device according to the first response message and the second response message, and can further select a device with a higher technical objective support degree from the second device and the third device as the negotiation counterpart. The embodiments of the present invention further provide a related method and apparatus for responding to a discovery message.