SISU inaugurates joint training program for Sino-Arabic translators and interpreters

Nine freshmen from six countries of the League of Arab States attended a convocation, themed “The Joint Training Program for Sino-Arabic Translators and Interpreters”, which was held late this September at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU).

The program aims to recruit attendees from fresh graduates who intended to work on Chinese-Arabic translation, or staff who ever worked in government or enterprises of the League of Arab States with learning background of Chinese language and literature. It is the second year and SISU is the only university that sponsored this program in China .

The program attendees will be trained for translation and interpretation in the language of Chinese based on their different learning abilities at SISU's Graduate Institute of Interpretation and Translation (GIIT) and the School of Chinese Studies and Exchange. After graduation, they will keep close contact with the Arab League Secretariat.

Li Chengwen, the ambassador of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, thanked SISU for its efforts in the program, and confirmed thelearning achievement of students from the first phase of training. He expectedstudents to facilitate comprehensive cooperation between China and Arab byintegrating into the new environment, opening up their horizons, and improving the comprehensive level of language and translation.

SISU University Council Chair Jiang Feng hoped the students will serve to enhance mutual understanding between China and Arab. "Tell the stories of your country, and also tellChinese stories to the world." Jiang said.

Ai Xue'er, the representative of first-year students, thanked the Chinese government for giving her such a good opportunity of participation , and she said she would exercise what she had learned toChinese-Arabic translation. Freshman Wei Huasaid that he will keep improving himself.

Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the initiative of jointly building the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the “21st-Century Maritime Silk Road”, and visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran in 2016 to promote the docking of “One Belt and One Road” with the Middle East countries.

In response to “One Belt and One Road” policy and to promote the development of bilateral relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the League of Arab States established the program, which has full scholarships offered by China Scholarship Council to students for a one-year study.