As China's economy has boomed, so has its printing industry, making the country one of the leaders in the field. Speaking at the International Printing Forum held in conjunction with the Second China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair in May, Long Xinmin, Director of the General Administration of Press and Publication, said there are more than 180,000 printing plants in China with over 3.4 million workers. The total output value of the printing industry is 332.67 billion yuan, accounting for 2 percent of the nation's GDP.

In 2005, China published 224,800 book titles and 9,423 periodical titles, representing a total printing of 6.402 billion and 2.751 billion volumes, respectively. The country also printed 40.402 billion newspaper copies.

In the commercial printing field, China's fast-growing economy, increased wealth, rising production and trade have helped to create a huge market for the packaging and decorative printing industry.

In recent years, China's printing technologies have developed markedly, including the popularization of laser photocomposition and the development of color plate-making techniques. The whole industry has been moving in the direction of high speed, good quality, digitalization and automation.

According to Long, the total output value of the country's printing industry is expected to grow by 8 percent annually in the next five years, accounting for 2.5 percent of the GDP by 2010. China intends to develop its printing industry at a moderate pace to become one of the leading printing bases in the world.

Li Qiang, General Manager of Shenzhen Dexinmei Printing Co., likes to cover his face with a galley proof when he takes a nap at noon. He said the light smell of ink makes him feel more relaxed and comfortable.

Dexinmei, a small company several years ago, now has a reputation for printing high-quality products. It won the top prize in the graphics design contest during the Second China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair.

Having suffered through many hardships, Li said, "For me, setting up my own business was full of fun, because in the process, my university major and interest combined perfectly with my career."

Dexinmei is the epitome of the newly growing printing companies in Shenzhen.

A publishing hub

Within 26 years, the number of printing plants in the city of Shenzhen has jumped from three to over 1,800, employing 130,000 people. In 2005, the output value of the printing industry in the city was 27.5 billion yuan, accounting for 36 percent of the total output value of the city's cultural industry.