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The Chinese government plans to intensively develop the country’s printing industry over the next five years, with a view to it becoming a global print giant.

Speaking at the second International Cultural Industry Fair (ICIF) in Shenzen, General Administration of Press and Publications director Long Xinmin announced that output for the sector, which currently accounts for 2% of China's GDP, is expected to grow by 8% annually and will make up 2.5% of GDP by 2010.

China’s 180,000 printing plants employ 3.4m workers and, according to Long, produced £22bn (RMB 330bn) worth of print in 2005. The Chinese government has been encouraging investment in the sector for some time by providing licences to dozens of overseas print companies, each year, wishing to establish branches in the country.