A method and system for determining highlighting colors for topic elements in a chart. The method includes acquiring contrast elements and topic elements which need to be highlighted, acquiring colors of the contrast elements and layout information of the topic elements and the contrast elements in the chart, determining a plurality of combinatorial contrast policies for the colors of the contrast elements according to a color contrast standard, calculating weights of the combinatorial contrast policies using the layout information, and determining highlighting colors of the topic elements according to the combinatorial contrast policies and their weights. A highlighting color can be selected automatically for the information that needs attention, so that the user can determine information that should be specially noted without having professional knowledge about color, saving time and energy.