In the wake of unexpected attacks by the international financial crisis, the printing industry can by no means survive by itself. As the bellwether of the China printing industry, the Pearl River Delta Region witnessed a dramatic decrease in exports by 20% to 30%, accompanied by a sharp reduction in the number of orders, soaring costs, and decreasing profits. China's printing industry was confronted with its direst predicament of the new century.

Thanks to the implementation of the policy package adopted by the central government to handle with the economic crisis, in particular various policies to support the development of the culture industry, coupled with the diligent efforts of staff in the industry, the printing industry has gradually emerged from the recession and taken on an upward trend. Performance has climbed since the third quarter of 2009.

During the crisis, the development of the China printing industry began to cool down. By October 2009, the national printing industry had grown by 8.1%, slightly higher than the GDP growth rate of 7.7% and lower than the national industrial growth rate of 9.4%. The overall trend has kept abreast with the development of the national economy. It can be concluded that the former rapid growth was both imperative and special to the solution of problems in a special period. Therefore, is this crisis a turning point for the China printing industry to transit from super rapid growth to normal development? Will the printing industry enter into a new stage of rational and scientific development in the future?
Another turning point is that in July 2009 the state council released The Plan for the Promotion of Cultural Industries, establishing the printing industry as one of the key areas for development in the culture industry and specifying strategic positioning for the printing industry. In the thirty years before the Cultural Revolution, the printing industry was intended to serve publications and politics. Shortly after the Cultural Revolution, it was regulated by the central government to adapt to the national economy and the development of social and cultural causes. In 2009, it was listed as one of the key areas in the culture industry to support, signifying a great leap in cognition. It is bound to be a strong driving force for the future development of the printing industry.

The significance of this development lies in the promotion of the strategic transformation of the industry from the previous quantity-orientation growth to quality orientation, from a traditional industry to a high-tech one, from pure passive processing to voluntary services, and from extensive to intensive management is an effort to build a harmonious and advanced China printing industry. There is a long way to go and it requires the redoubled efforts of us all.