National Translation Conference outlines industry's mission

A National Conference on Translation marking the 30th anniversary of the Translators Association of China (TAC) was held on Dec. 6 in Beijing. Co-organized by China International Publishing Group (CIPG) and TAC, the conference drew top industry insiders, journalists, academics, and leaders of relevant government agencies.

This is the second nationwide conference on translation since the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949. Applying the propositions presented in the Report to the 18th CPC National Congress, the translation community in China hopes to utilize the conference to make translation services more effective in presenting Chinese culture on the global stage as well as improve international communication.

Tang Jiaxuan, former state councilor and honorary president of TAC; Wang Chen, vice minister of Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and minister of the State Council Information Office.; Li Zhaoxing, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress and president of TAC; and Zhou Mingwei, president of CIPG delivered keynote speeches at the conference.

Translation is a key area in which China can enhance its soft power capabilities, since it can help grow the international influence of Chinese culture, Tang said.

Tang made three suggestions for future translation work in his address: first, translation is an important cause that China should pay high attention to so that the international influence of Chinese culture can be enhanced. Second, translators should have a good understanding of China's translation cause. Finally, Chinese translators should enhance their sense of responsibility as well as improve their professional competence.

The Report to the 18th CPC National Congress established new targets for publicity and translation, Wang said. He said he hopes that all the translators can understand the significance of their work and usher in a new stage of prosperous development for the translation cause.

2012 marks the 30th anniversary of TAC. With this year's conference as a new starting point, TAC will call on the nation's translators to study, promote and implement the propositions of the 18th CPC National Congress to promote the development of China's translation cause and better boost the Sino-foreign cultural exchanges, while utilizing the organization's vast experience to overcome difficulties, Li said.

In his speech, CIPG President Zhou Mingwei emphasized that soft power determines the role China plays on the world stage, and the translation cause bridges the language gap between China and the world. In other words, China's translation abilities should be improved because they are the prerequisite for the task of increasing the global influence of Chinese culture.

CIPG, as China's largest foreign language publication group and the governing body of TAC, will spare no efforts to support the development of China's translation cause, Zhou added.

The theme of this year's conference is "Taking Chinese Culture to the Global Stage and Promoting China's Translation Works."

Guo Xiaoyong, executive vice president of CIPG and executive vice president of TAC, delivered the conference's keynote speech, entitled "Promoting China's Translation Cause and Serving the Nation's International Communication Efforts."

Guo summarized the current status of the translation industry, pointing out achievements as well as the existing problems, and put forward suggestions on how to improve China's translation work and better serve the nation's efforts to implement the policy of reform and opening-up and the strategy of "Going Global."

Following the keynote speeches, attendees held a thorough discussion to explore new ways to promote the sound development of the nation's international communication cause.

Several honorary awards in recognition of superlative translators, such as Lifetime Achievement Award in Translation and Outstanding Contribution to Translation Industry Award were presented during the conference.

The first part of a two-volume Annual Report on China's Translation Industry was also issued to attendees.