Translators 'need standards'

The country's top translators yesterday urged the government to strengthen supervision of the "disorderly market of the translation industry".

At a forum in Beijing to mark the 35th anniversary of the founding of the China Translation and Publishing Corporation (CTPC), translators voiced concerns about the poor quality of translations for communications with the outside world and the "vicious competition".

Liu Heping, professor of the Beijing Language and Culture University and a CTPC advisor, said many small firms do not have qualified staff but offer low prices to attract clients.