Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for optimizing a neighbor relation. The method for optimizing a neighbor relation in the present invention includes: determining, by a centralized device, to-be-processed neighboring cells according to a preset rule, generating an optimization suggestion according to the determined to-be-processed neighboring cells, and delivering the optimization suggestion to a radio network controller RNC, so that the RNC optimizes the to-be-processed neighboring cells according to the optimization suggestion. According to the embodiments of the present invention, automatic optimization of the neighbor relation is implemented.