Guo Xiaoyong, executive vice president of the Translators Association of China.

GUO Xiaoyong, executive vice president of the China International Publishing Group (CIPG) and concurrently executive vice president of the Translators Association of China, is an experienced translator, journalist and editor. Graduating from the Arabic Department of Shanghai International Studies University in 1976, he worked for many years in China's Xinhua News Agency as a translator, editor and journalist. From 1980 to 1982, he studied Arabic language and culture at Kuwait University. From 1985 to 1988, he worked as a resident reporter of Xinhua News Agency in Beirut, and in 1991, he led a Xinhua News Agency journalist team to the Gulf region and reported on the first Gulf War. He began to work for CIPG in late 2002. As the XVIII FIT World Congress approaches, a reporter with People's China interviewed Guo Xiaoyong and asked for his views on the role of translation and media in a diversified world.

People's China: Cross-cultural communication relies much on the media, and translation is an important means. What is your view of the relationship between the media and translation?

Guo Xiaoyong: The theme of the XVIII FIT World Congress is Translation and Cultural Diversity, and the relation between translation and the media is closely related to that theme. The mission of translators and reporters is the same, which is to increase communication and understanding of different cultures, to spread human civilization and culture, and to record and reflect the development and progress of society. In a globalized world with diverse cultures, both translators and journalists face increasing challenges. More research and discussions are needed on the function of translation in news reporting, publication and the mass media, and on how to improve translation standards to help expand the influence of the media.

From my 30-odd years of work experience, I would say that a qualified resident reporter should be familiar with the local language and culture he/she is reporting on. He should be a good translator, but not be confined to only being a translator. Translating ability is one of the basic requirements for resident reporters stationed abroad. On the one hand, their translation or interpretation should meet the criteria of fidelity, fluency and elegance. On the other hand, they should have good journalism sensibility and writing skills, as well as good observational and analytical abilities. For example, when interviewing state leaders, it is better to use direct quotes of their words or words from government documents, and the translation needs to be absolutely accurate.

People's China: Would you please explain this relation with some experience of yours?

Guo Xiaoyong: In 1985, I went to a small village in southern Lebanon for an interview. Israel had just retreated from there then, and we could still feel the tense atmosphere. The local dialect was very difficult to understand. Even the Lebanese news officer accompanying us there could not understand it, and we had to hire a local to be our interpreter. That was an unforgettable experience for me. It made me realize that it is hard to do reports if one does not know the local language, no matter how strong one's interviewing abilities are.

Another experience in Lebanon left me with a deep impression. At that time, Hezbollah was attracting global media attention, and its spiritual leader Fadlallah agreed to accept our interview. I went with my two colleagues, who spoke English and French. The place was strongly fortified, and we had to go through several sentries. I greeted him in Arabic, and he took it for granted that my other two colleagues also knew Arabic. After I asked him the question, he answered without leaving any time for translation, so I had to do simultaneous translation for two hours while listening to his words. The interview was successful, and the report was well received. The experience let me understand that a good reporter working abroad must master the local language to have efficient communication.

During the Gulf War in 1991, the entire world was paying attention to a certain Western country's stand on the Kuwait issue upon the ending of the war. We, as Xinhua News Agency reporters, were also keeping close watch on the issue. Once on a public occasion, after the Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs finished meeting the state leader of this Western country, I walked to the minister, asked him some questions in Arabic, and later wrote an exclusive report for Xinhua. The other Western journalists on site looked at me in astonishment and admiration, as none of them understood Arabic.

People's China: The role of the media is to serve as a communication bridge between different cultures. But there are also occasions when the media misleads the public. What is your view on this?

Guo Xiaoyong: We have noticed that some media reports have not played their proper role of increasing understanding. On the contrary, they have increased misunderstanding of the two sides. There are many causes to such problems, including misunderstanding of the original meaning of the interview, cultural discrimination, the prejudiced stands of other countries, etc. But in most cases, the lack of understanding of the target language reader's culture is the main cause of the misunderstanding. Improper use of words and expressions and distorted translations sometimes result in reports not conforming to reality, and that was not the intention of the original writer. As a result, a reporter residing in a foreign country should first be a qualified translator and an expert on the local language and culture, before he/she can send back accurate and objective reports of the place.

People's China: What is the function of non-English translations in a globalized world? How is the team of Chinese reporters residing abroad on that score?

Guo Xiaoyong: In a globalized world, people usually think that translation means translating from other languages into English. That is the case in some countries, and among the top leaders of countries and organizations. However, to communicate with ordinary citizens, one must speak their local language. The tower of Babel mentioned in the Bible is in present-day Iraq, and I have deepened my understanding of the legend about Babel in my foreign language studying process. Respecting cultural diversity is very important, and communicating with people using their native language and dialect is the most efficient tool.

In such a world situation, China pays special attention to train reporters with good foreign language abilities. More and more Chinese reporters residing abroad now speak fluent English or the language of the foreign country in which they are working. There has been big progress in the last few decades. When the People's Republic of China was founded, most Chinese reporters working abroad could not speak foreign languages, and had to do their work with the help of translators, whereas now, the majority of them are acquainted with the language and culture of the country in which they are staying.

People's China: What are your expectations for the XVIII FIT World Congress?

Guo Xiaoyong: The Translators Association of China is an academic organization, and a large number of its members are media workers. The aim of our hosting this congress is to use this platform to create an opportunity for more exchanges between its members and foreign counterparts, and to improve our translation and cultural communication standards. I wish the congress to be successful and fruitful, and that it will make its contribution to the prosperity and development of translation work in the world.

(From the July issue of People's China.)

Wang Zhongyi is editor-in-chief of People's China.