This application relates to a downlink control information indication method during coordinated multipoint transmission/reception in a wireless communications system. For a plurality of network side devices that send downlink data to user equipment on a same carrier and in a same subframe, downlink data transmission information used when the network side devices separately send the downlink data is indicated by using a plurality of pieces of downlink control information. Therefore, diversity transmission and/or multi-stream transmission in a multipoint coordination scenario are/is supported, and when the user equipment cannot normally receive downlink data sent by some network side devices because some downlink control information encounters an error, the user equipment may still receive, based on an indication of remaining downlink control information that encounters no error, downlink data sent by a network side device corresponding to the remaining downlink control information that encounters no error.