On August 5, the Ministry of Commerce issued an announcement to launch a national security investigation into foreign trade regarding relevant imported printing and copying office equipment. This marks China's first 'national security investigation into foreign trade,' adding a new tool to China's toolbox for safeguarding national security in the realm of foreign trade. Hantu Technology
Ministry of Commerce Launches Investigation into Printers and Copiers
Following the announcement, many people may have a question: It is understandable that reliance on foreign entities for core technologies such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and lithography machines raises national security concerns; but how much of a threat can an everyday office printer pose to become the target of the first national security investigation?
Behind this question lies our long-term underestimation of the printer, an 'old acquaintance.'
Hidden Security Risks in Printers
The Ministry of Commerce's announcement explicitly states that the targets of this investigation are imported office equipment with printing and copying functions equipped with foreign system software, as well as driver software and embedded software developed, tested, or maintained by foreign individuals or entities.
In the past, people's perception of printers often remained at the level of traditional office equipment that 'connects to a computer and outputs paper.' However, given the growth of office digitalization, printers have long since evolved. In particular, enterprise-level printing and copying equipment has integrated operating systems, processing chips (ICs), network modules, and storage components, capable of performing various functions such as printing, scanning, faxing, and cloud management. It is no longer just an output device but rather an intelligent terminal connected to the office network. Any device connected to a network and processing data can become a link in the information security chain.
Earlier this year, CCTV published an article pointing out that the information security risks of printers have been severely underestimated. The operating systems, drivers, and embedded software inside printers, although not receiving as much attention as computer operating systems, can equally serve as entry points for cyberattacks. Attackers can scan the network to discover printer system vulnerabilities and gain control of the device; they may also exploit vulnerabilities in the supply chain or during firmware upgrades to implant backdoor programs. Once a printer is compromised, attackers can not only steal printed content but also use the printer to further infiltrate other devices on the same network. The harm is no less than that of a computer infected with a virus.
Second, there is the issue of residual data stored within the device. Many enterprise-level printing and copying devices are equipped with hard drives and storage chips (ICs) to cache printing and scanning tasks. While this improves efficiency, it also means that data does not completely disappear after a file is printed. If the device is improperly handled during maintenance, disposal, or second-hand circulation, historical files in the storage medium could be recovered. Previously, national security authorities disclosed that foreign espionage and intelligence agencies specifically purchase second-hand printers to extract residual data and obtain classified information, even forming an industry chain centered around hardware espionage.
In addition to software and storage modules, printer consumables also pose security risks. Taking the toner cartridge as an example, as the core imaging component of a laser printer, its working process involves photosensitive materials and electrostatic imaging technology. If the supply chain, maintenance, or recycling processes are improperly managed, these components could become carriers of residual information and security risks.
Furthermore, the data transmission process of printers also carries risks. As enterprise printing equipment becomes networked, printing tasks are no longer completed solely via data cables but must pass through local area networks, servers, and even cloud systems. If the communication process lacks effective encryption, file content could theoretically be intercepted during transmission. In November 2025, the Ministry of State Security publicly disclosed a data breach incident: a roster of cadres at or above the deputy section chief level in a certain region, along with classified materials for civil defense projects, was actually leaked to the outside world through a street-side cooperative printing shop.
For this reason, over the next 12 months, the investigating authorities will conduct investigations focusing on the import situation of relevant enterprises; the impact of products, technologies, or services on national security interests; the current development status of relevant domestic industries and their exposure to import impacts; the capacity and level of relevant domestic industries to meet domestic demand and national security interests; and the impact of relevant foreign government policies and measures on China's national security interests.
From an industry perspective, printing and copying equipment has another special characteristic: it is not only a typical case related to national information security but also an industry sector long dominated by overseas enterprises, in which Chinese companies have been accelerating their breakthroughs in recent years.
Accelerated Domestic Substitution
IDC data shows that in 2025, global printer shipments reached 77.16 million units, of which China's printer market shipments reached 13.63 million units, accounting for approximately 18% of the global total. As a core category of printers, global laser printer shipments in 2025 were 26.39 million units, of which China reached 1,363 units, accounting for nearly 52%.
However, behind this massive market scale, China's printing industry has long faced a contradiction: China is one of the world's largest consumer markets for printing equipment, yet market power has long been held by overseas enterprises.
In 2025, foreign capital as a whole captured 75% of the domestic printer market share. The top player was US-based HP (Hewlett-Packard) with approximately 28%, followed by Japan's Canon at 21% and Japan's Epson at 19%, ranking second and third, respectively. This is even more pronounced in the high-end commercial printing sector, where Japanese companies such as Canon, Ricoh, and Fujifilm Business Innovation have long held a dominant position.
This is because, although the printing industry is ubiquitous, it is an industry with extremely high barriers to entry. It involves multiple fields such as precision machinery, microelectronics, chemical materials, and software systems. For a long time, only the United States and Japan have truly possessed the core technologies for printers. Japanese and American brands represented by Canon and HP have built extremely high technical patent barriers and control the highly profitable original consumables business. Data shows that the printing business contributes nearly two-thirds of the profits for these groups.
However, as Chinese manufacturing continues to tackle key challenges, China has become the third country in the world to possess core printer technologies and is rapidly substituting foreign brands in the market. Taking the key sub-segment of A4 laser printing as an example, the market share of domestic brand A4 laser printers in China has surged from 16% in 2010 to 42% in 2024, achieving a reversal against foreign brands.
The most representative enterprise in this regard is Pantum. Around 2010, Pantum began to deploy independent laser printing technology. Compared to traditional printing companies that rely on the procurement of core components from overseas, Pantum chose to break through from the underlying technologies, conducting independent research and development in areas including print control chips (ICs), print engines, mechanical structures, and imaging algorithms.
One of the most core technologies in the printer industry is the print control chip (IC). In the past, the global laser printing industry long adopted chips and print engines designed by US and Japanese companies. Even if Chinese companies could complete the manufacturing of the whole machine, it was difficult to shake off their reliance on overseas supply chains. After years of research and development, Pantum has gradually established an independent technology system covering chips, software, hardware, and whole machine manufacturing, becoming one of the few Chinese companies capable of independently developing the core technologies of laser printers. Pantum's A4 laser printer sales ranking has reached fourth globally and second in the Chinese market.
In 2019, China's printing industry reached an important turning point, shifting from breakthroughs by a single enterprise to a stage of concentrated breakthroughs and ecosystem construction by domestic brands. In November of that year, Deli launched multiple printers, and its smart factory's annual production capacity reached 2 million units, making it the first Chinese company to master the core technologies of both laser and inkjet printers simultaneously; Hannto Technology, a Xiaomi ecosystem chain enterprise, designed and produced the Xiaomi Mijia inkjet printer for Xiaomi, achieving a 'zero breakthrough' for domestic brands in inkjet printers; Lenovo increased its investment in the printing industry, entering the office printing market through independent research and development and industrial layout, with annual sales reaching over 1 million units in 2019. In addition, domestic brands such as Dascom, Jolimark, and HPRT have become increasingly active in the domestic market, and the domestic printer industry chain is flourishing.
Currently, China's printing industry has formed a complete industrial layout ranging from whole machine manufacturing and core component research and development to consumable supply and software ecosystem construction, and is gradually acquiring the ability to compete with overseas brands.
To be fair, compared with international giants such as HP, Canon, and Ricoh in the field of high-end printing equipment, Chinese companies still have a certain gap. Especially in large commercial multifunction printers, software ecosystems, and global service systems, the advantages formed by overseas enterprises through decades of accumulation cannot be replaced in a short time.
However, this does not mean that this investigation has limited impact on overseas enterprises. China is an important global market for printing equipment and has long been a significant source of business for US companies such as HP. For these companies, market reviews bring not only short-term sales pressure but also uncertainties in supply chains, software maintenance, and future market layouts. The pressure is sufficient for the US government and relevant enterprises to re-evaluate the importance of the Chinese market.
For the Chinese market, the global printing industry itself does not rely solely on a single country. Even if some overseas brands are restricted, the market still has alternative choices from Japan, Europe, and other countries and regions, which will not cause a shock to the domestic market.
Conclusion
This first investigation, on the surface, targets a printer, but behind it reflects that the logic of global industrial competition is changing. In the past, a printer was just an ordinary office device, and competition revolved more around price, performance, and consumables. However, as equipment becomes networked and intelligent, printers have become important terminals connecting data, software, and office networks, and security issues have begun to become part of industrial competition.
For China, the investigation does not mean closing the market, but rather re-examining the technology sources, data security, and supply chain stability of critical equipment in an open environment. For overseas enterprises, China remains an important market, but in the future, to enter the Chinese market, in addition to product competitiveness, they also need to face stricter security assessments and compliance requirements. From the perspective of industrial development, the printer is just a microcosm. Over the past few decades, Chinese manufacturing has mostly solved the questions of 'whether we have it' and 'whether we can produce it'; today, more and more industries are pursuing 'mastering core technologies' and 'ensuring supply chain security.' This has laid a solid foundation for the discourse power of Chinese industries on the international stage.