Cylinder liner-piston ring is the most important friction pair in the internal combustion engine and its wear failure accounts for about 40% of the friction and wear failure in the internal combustion engine. Surface performance reinforcement is an important method to improve the service life and reliability of the cylinder liner-piston ring friction pair. The service condition and failure mechanism of the internal combustion engine cylinder liner-piston ring were briefly analyzed. The important factors influencing the friction and wear behaviors of cylinder liner-piston ring pair were summarized. Then, the research and applications of surface modification, surface coating and composite surface treatments on the cylinder liner and piston ring surface reinforcement were reviewed in detail. Surface modification technologies such as chemical heat treatment, ion implantation and surface quenching could promote the tribological properties by improving the surface chemical composition and structure of cylinder liner and piston ring. The surface texturing had great importance in the storage of lubricating oil and abrasive debris. Composite chromium plating, vapor deposition of thin films and thermal spraying of metal and metal-ceramic coatings technologies were also suitable for cylinder liner-piston ring surface reinforcement and modification. Simultaneously, synergetic improvements of the surface comprehensive performance of the cylinder liner-piston ring friction pair and can be accomplished via various surface strengthening technologies, such as laser quenching and low temperature ionic sulfurizing, magnetron sputtering and nitriding, surfacing and surface rolling etc. and multiple complementary advantages. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of these surface performance reinforcement technologies and problems to be solved were briefly summarized.