On December 17^th, the final round of the 2^nd “Yunshan Cup” International Remote Interpreting Contest was concluded. The contest was initiated by Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and organized by the Guangdong Translation and Interpretation Base for International Communication, and supported by the Academy of Translation and Interpretation of China international communications Group (CICG) and the Translators Association of China (TAC). A total of 216 participants from Chinese and foreign universities competed at a high level in consecutive and simultaneous interpreting on a remote interpreting platform. Under the theme of “cultural exchanges and mutual learning, a better future of the world”, competitors narrated China’s stories in 14 foreign languages, aiming to enhance the global understanding of China’s perspectives and solutions and foster cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and the outside world.

Emphasizing the Exchanges between Different Civilizations, the Contest Highlighted Youth’s Global Role

Divided into 14 foreign language categories including English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Hindi, Malay, Lao, Burmese and Khmer, the contest attracted over 4,000 participants from prestigious Chinese and international universities such as the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in the US, University of Leeds in the UK, Moscow State University in Russia, Toulouse Institute of Political Studies in France, Seoul National University in South Korea, Hanoi University in Vietnam, and Bangkok University in Thailand. Domestically, participants were from Peking University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai International Studies University, and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. After preliminary and semifinal rounds, a total of 216 interpreters from around the globe advanced to the final round. Professor Liu Haichun,  Vice President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, stated that through interpreting, young people can spread excellent Chinese culture to five continents while playing a unique role as cultural ambassadors. They serve as vital bridges for disseminating Chinese culture overseas and facilitating exchanges and mutual understanding between civilizations.

The Contest Followed the Trends of the Language Industry and Facilitated the Development of Talent in International Communication

Xing Yutang, Vice President of the CICG Academy of Translation and Interpretation and Deputy Secretary-General of the Translators Association of China, pointed out in his speech that the shortage of high-end Chinese translators, especially in key languages, is becoming increasingly prominent. Thus it is imperative to plan and promote the development of China’s translation industry at a strategic level, and strengthen the building of national translation capacity in the new era. The “Yunshan Cup” International Remote Interpretation Contest is held at the right time. It promotes learning through competition, takes translation as a medium to enhance the understanding and mutual trust between participants from different countries, and help identify high-level interpreting talent with international vision and cross-cultural communication skills, thus contributes to the development of China’s translation capacity and international communication.

Professor Liu Jianda, Vice President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, said that as an international remote interpreting platform, this competition not only represented digital innovation in translation education but also aligned with cutting-edge language service industry trends. It helped bridge the gap between universities and the industry. The contest also functioned as an assessment of multilingual interpreting education quality at Chinese and foreign institutions, contributing to translation teaching. Collectively, these efforts further international cultural exchange and boost China’s global communication capabilities.

The Contest Aimed to Deepen Friendship Internationally and Strengthen Global Consensus

Several foreign participants noted that the contest facilitated exchanges and dialogues among youth from different nations, allowing mutual learning and a deeper understanding of China. Ms. Jenny Fearnside-Bitsios, President of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), emphasized the role of translation as a bridge for the exchanges between civilizations amid today’s multicultural integration. The AIIC congratulated the event and expressed interest in deeper cooperation with Chinese institutions to cultivate more world-class international interpreters. This would enhance the provision of high-quality multilingual interpreting services globally.

Text & Images: Organizing Committee of “Yunshan Cup”