The invention provides printing paste which comprises sodium alga acid, starch and salt additives, wherein the salt additives preferably refer to sodium hexametaphosphate and anhydrous sodium sulfate; a mass ratio of the sodium hexametaphosphate to anhydrous sodium sulfate is 3 to 2; the starch comprises at least 90wt% amylopectin, and the content is calculated based on dry matters of the starch. In addition, the invention further provides printing paste and application thereof for flat screen or rotary screen printing. The printing paste disclosed by the invention has excellent shear thinning resistance and salt resistance and also has high dye transfer performance so as to ensure high dye-uptake of the dyes. Moreover, the printing paste further has an excellent printing effect hand feeling and high color yield and definition; meanwhile, a high paste removal rate can be maintained, and the printing paste has proper cost.