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Chinese female translator at China-US talks applauded by netizens

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ceciliazhang

Mar 22, 2021, 16:21


(Global Times) Chinese translator Zhang Jing has earned a lot of fans on Chinese social media following her solid performance and accurate translation at the high-level China-US meeting in Alaska on Friday, leading to applause for the Chinese female diplomatic personnel taking part in the mission.

The highlight of Zhang's interpretation came when she smoothly translated several speeches by the Chinese delegation that were more than 10 minutes long fluently and accurately into English, which earned her applause and respect from netizens, including many majoring in interpretation.

Zhang, who graduated from China Foreign Affairs University, has been praised on Chinese social media for "fully showing the elegant demeanor of China's diplomats in the new era." 

A photo with the hashtag "she is the on-site translator at high-level China-US talks" has gone viral on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo with views surpassing 400 million. 

According to a media interview with Zhang's high school teacher, Zhang had been capable  to enter top Chinese universities like Peking University and Tsinghua University, but she chose to go to China Foreign Affairs University to one day serve her country at the ministry of foreign affairs.

"Zhang Jing helped convey China's voice to the world through her specialty; and compared to the US translator, she performed far better. She also showed  'her power' of Chinese women," one netizen commented on Sina Weibo.

Compliments for female diplomatic staff also extended to other diplomats such as Hua Chunying. 

"I think the women who have appeared in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recent years are wonderful. They have presented China's image on the international diplomatic stage and have increased China's reputation with their talents," another Sina Weibo user wrote.

Zhang's experience inspired many students majoring in interpretation. 

"I also want to use my specialty to contribute to my country's diplomacy and I will go on improving myself," a junior college student in Beijing majoring in translation told the Global Times on Sunday. 

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emanreus
pnp post time: 2021-03-23 11:56

re: "Hope there are more translators like Ms Zhang, then foreigners don't have to crack their heads trying to make sense of translated texts."

ol'chap, on the fast track they are. Plus other pros to guide the Middle Kingdom tru your quick-sand of foreign affairs...

tenith

Let her continue her good work and excel further. Keep the media away from her. There are also millions out there contributing in one way or another and of them did so behind the scene. She shouldn't be differentiated from them.

ceciliazhang

Ms Zhang translated so fluently as if she was reading off a prepared script from Yang. She did a great job, given the stress and time constraint. The US translator was not even close.

pnp

Well done to Ms Zhang! 

She is the exception though!  Many Chinese translators perform poorly, translating Chinese text into Chinglish instead of standard English, and many even have Translation Certificates to show!  Having a Translation Certificate is no proof of one's ability, just proof of his ability at passing translation exam.

Many Chinese translators' works need to be proof-read and corrected by qualified foreign English teachers before being sent out to their English-speaking clients, otherwise their works would not be understood!

Hope there are more translators like Ms Zhang, then foreigners don't have to crack their heads trying to make sense of translated texts.