receiving, by a terminal device, a radio resource control (RRC) connection release message, wherein the RRC connection release message comprises first information, and the first information indicates a target configuration parameter;

entering, by the terminal device, an inactive state based on the RRC connection release message, and determining, by the terminal device, a context parameter of the inactive state based on the first information, wherein the context parameter of the inactive state is the target configuration parameter, or the context parameter of the inactive state is a parameter in a context parameter of the terminal device and different than the target configuration parameter;

retaining or releasing, by the terminal device in the inactive state, the determined context parameter; and

before receiving the RRC connection release message, reporting, by the terminal device, capability information, wherein the capability information indicates support for data transmission in the inactive state.