The 11th Asia–Pacific Translation and Interpreting Forum (APTIF11) was held from 21 to 23 May 2025 at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU). The forum was co-organised by the International Federation of Translators (FIT) and its Asian Regional Centre, known as FIT Asia, HKBU, and the Hong Kong Translation Society (HKTS).

Themed‘Culture, connectivity and technology: translating communities, transforming perspectives’, APTIF11 brought together around 400 representatives from the translation, interpreting, language technology, and academic research sectors across Asia and beyond, discussing how artificial intelligence and technology connect and integrate with language, translation, and intercultural communication.

The event kicked off on the morning of 21 May with an opening ceremony addressed by Alison Rodriguez, FIT President; Gao Anming, FIT Council Member and Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Translators Association of China (TAC), and Editor-in-Chief of the China International Communications Group; Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, and Janice Pan, Chair of the APTIF11 Organising Committee, HKTS President, Director of the Academy of Language and Culture, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Professor of the Department of Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Studies of HKBU.

The opening ceremony was followed by the Honorary Fellowship Conferment Ceremony of the HKTS. Recipients included Mona Baker of the University of Oslo; Sin-Wai Chan of St. Francis University, Hong Kong; Sun Yifeng of the University of Macau and Editor-in-Chief of Babel, and Tan Zaixi of HKBU.

During the four-day event, APTIF11 featured three master lectures, four keynote speeches, and over 40 themed parallel sessions, showcasing more than 200 presentations on the latest developments in the field. The conference also hosted a series of AI-themed pre-conference workshops featuring industry leaders such as NVIDIA, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Hong Kong, as well as an exhibit hall featuring exhibitors including Anhui iFLYREC Co., Ltd., Beijing NewClass Digital Technology, Shanghai Yizhe Info Tech Co., Ltd., and Timekettle. In addition, to promote inclusivity, Hong Kong Sign Language interpreting services were provided throughout the four-day programme.

The event concluded with closing remarks by Xing Yutang, FIT Asia Chair and Executive Deputy Secretary General of TAC, and Yau Waiping, Director of the Centre for Translation of HKBU, both highlighting the significance and outcomes of the forum in the context of technological advancement and the extensive application of AI in the profession.

Launched in 1995 under the aegis of FIT, APTIF, formerly known as Asian Translators Forum, is a triennial event aimed at fostering collaboration and exchange within the region’s translation and interpreting community.

APTIF11 Organising Committee

All photos courtesy of Hong Kong Baptist University