From December of this year, a national examination on translation will be held on trial in China. The setup of this new system is regarded as a very important step towards a further regularization of the professional translation market.
At a joint press conference held by the Chinese Ministry of Personnel and the Foreign Press Bureau of China, an expert commission for this institutionalized examination was formed. The commission consists of over 40 seasoned experts, all of whom enjoy high reputation in China's translation field. Compared with the previous system which applied only to a few professional translators, this new system incorporates all people who have the qualifications to be a good translator or interpreter.
With a professional certificate issued to every qualified candidate, there will be a national standard for any institution or enterprise to evaluate the level of their translators. It's obvious that the establishment of this system will be a propelling force to stimulate the national competition in the field of translation, while encouraging more young people to improve their English proficiency. The scale of the examination is expected to expand nationwide next year.
(CCTV.com July 17, 2003)
