What happened between 2000 to 2019
In the new century, Chinese design has entered a new era of self-examination, self-reliance, and self-confidence. Joining the World Trade Organisation meant China would integrate into the international economy and society faster and better. Twenty years after experiencing the international experience of rapid absorption and digestion, Chinese design began to re-examine its excellent traditional genes and local culture in the dialogue between globalization and localization.
In 2006, AIGA Executive Director Ric Grefé, writing about the purpose of AIGA China:
"In China, AIGA is working in partnership with the Central Academy of Fine Arts, working with Min Wang, to help to share experiences and knowledge from US educational institutions with the rapidly growing number of design education faculties and students in China. This will involve helping to interconnect the institutions and students and offering information that might be useful in preparing students for the global design economy, including the professional standards expected of designers. The AIGA China office will also facilitate contacts between US designers and educators with their colleagues in China and will create links among the US educational community and Chinese educators, at their initiative, aimed at developing curricula that will help to prepare Chinese students for the global design economy. This office will be directed by Amy Gendler, a design educator, fluent in Mandarin, who will also be teaching at CAFA."
Visual assets created for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The success of the visual image of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games design not only reflected technical integration of the “Chinese elements” and the Olympic image, it showed, for the first time, the new style of Chinese design to the global public.
2009 ICOGRADA World Design Congress
China won the bid for hosting the 2009 ICOGRADA World Design Congress—2000 people attended the opening of the congress, and many more participated later in symposiums and discussions. Since October 2009, the first Beijing International Design Week was held in Beijing. BJDW promotes in-depth development of communication between the Chinese design community and international counterparts and works as an important driving force for China's economic competition and industrial transformation and upgrading.