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CIPG VP expounds on development of translation in China

China.org.cn by Zhang Liying,November 14, 2019 Adjust font size:

Gao Anming, vice president of China International Publishing Group, speaks in an interview with China.org.cn on the sidelines of the Translators Association of China (TAC) Conference 2019 in Beijing on Nov. 9. [Photo by Zhang Ruiyu/China.org.cn]

Despite tremendous progress in the past seven decades, a problem-oriented approach should be adopted to promote further development of translation and language services in China, according to Gao Anming, vice president of China International Publishing Group (CIPG).

Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Annual Conference of the Translators Association of China 2019 (TAC Conference 2019) in Beijing, Gao said China's development of translation and language services since 1949 has undergone two stages divided by the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy in 1978.

During the first stage from 1949 to that date, a large number of fine literature works were translated from foreign languages into Chinese, and much of traditional Chinese culture was also introduced to the rest of the world, he said.

Since then, the industry has witnessed dramatic changes and played an essential role in enhancing cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and other countries.

Gao said the number of companies providing language services had increased from an original low of 16 to 370,000 by June 2019, with their business scope expanding beyond translation and interpreting to cover language training, consulting and asset management.

"Great changes have also taken place in foreign language teaching," he added. "For example, when I was studying in Beijing Foreign Studies University, the school offered programs covering 30 languages; now, the number is 103."

While hailing the progress, Gao also pointed out the problems and offered constructive suggestions for better development of the industry.

China's effort to pursue greater opening-up means more interaction with the rest of the world and, in turn, creates new requirements and challenges for translation and language services professionals, he said.

He took the example of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which has received warm international response, saying translation serves as the foundation of people-to-people connectivity among participating countries.

Gao emphasized the importance of top-level design and policy support in meeting the requirements and challenges, calling for targeted measures regarding industry regulation to ensure the development of translation and language services moves in the right direction and meets the needs of the times.

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