Objective/Meaning  The industrial correlation and ripple effect of forestry industry in China was analyzed in this paper, and the status quo and characteristics of industrial development were revealed, in order to promote the healthy development of forestry industry in China.

  Methods/Procedures  Based on the world input–output database, the complete consumption coefficient, complete distributive coefficient, influence coefficient and sensitivity coefficient were selected based on the input–output model (IOM) to explore the correlation degree and push-pull effect between the forestry industry and other industries in China, and also to make a horizontal comparative analysis with the big forestry countries in the world (the United States, Canada, Russia and Australia ).

  Results/Conclusions  The results showed that the product production of the forestry industry in China was more dependent on the secondary industry, but less dependent on the tertiary industry. It mainly provided basic raw material support for the manufacturing industry, construction industry and itself. Being Similar to the big forestry countries in the world, the forestry industry in China had higher pulling effect on the national economy than promoting effect, which belonged to the “influence related industry”. Therefore, the countermeasures were put forward, including increasing the policy support, promoting the industrial integration development, and creating the diversified development model, etc.