As spring graces the land, the translation community is ready to usher in a new chapter of elegance and artistry. In this wonderful season of family reunions and renewal, I would like to extend my heartfelt New Year greetings on behalf of the Translators Association of China (TAC) to all TAC members, translation professionals across the country, and friends from all walks of life, both at home and abroad, who have shown understanding and support for our work.

Over the past year, TAC made meaningful contributions to promoting communication between China and the rest of the world. TAC’s Multilingual Translation Consultation Mechanism for Chinese-to-Foreign Languages expanded to cover nine languages, providing authoritative references for key expressions and new buzzwords across various fields. We united the translation community nationwide to complete major translation projects with high quality, ensuring that the world gains a better understanding of China in the new era through accurate and expressive translations.

Over the past year, we have worked together to accelerate the momentum for high-quality development in the translation industry. We improved the industry standards system, released reports on development of the sector, and published several industry standards and guidelines. Embracing technological empowerment, we hosted thematic exhibitions on translation technology and the Second National Translation Technology Contest, and launched the “Hundred Schools Initiative to Enhance International Communication and Translation Technology Literacy.” Highlighting the cultural value of translation, we organized signature events such as the TAC Translation Forum and the “Translating China, Embracing the World” livestream series, making translation more accessible to the public. With a more diverse narrative, we have worked to translate China for the world and embrace the world with greater openness.

Over the past year, we have explored innovative approaches to strengthening our team of translation professionals. We systematically reviewed the pool of the nation’s top translation experts and launched a national database for multilingual translators. We actively contributed to the development of translation as an academic discipline and organized regional training programs for translation educators, along with national workshops on foreign affairs translation and international communication skills.

This year, we worked to enhance services for our members. We launched a revamped official website for TAC and upgraded our membership service system, offering a variety of engaging activities to strengthen members’ sense of belonging, participation, and fulfillment. We hosted the TAC Annual Conference 2024 and the third Secretaries-General Meeting for Translation Associations Across China, fostering closer collaboration among local associations and enhancing our organizational capacity. A proud milestone was TAC’s recognition as a 4A-level national social organization by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China, a historic accomplishment for the association.

The past year has been a tapestry of remarkable achievements, and as we step into the new year, we look forward to painting an even brighter future. In the coming year, TAC will continue strengthening collaboration across sectors, playing a leading role for the translation industry, and working hand in hand with our members. The goal is to contribute to Chinese modernization as well as cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and the rest of the world.

I wish everyone a prosperous Year of the Snake filled with happiness and success!