REGIONAL> Highlights
Cross-Strait Interpretation Competition concludes in Xiamen
By Hu Meidong and Xiong Ying (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-13 16:15

The Cross-Strait Interpretation Competition dropped its curtain at Xiamen University on April 12, 2009. The first-ever competition was hosted by Xiamen University, and undertaken by College of Foreign Languages and Cultures Xiamen University, Xiamen Star, and the testing center for translating and interpreting certification in Xiamen University.

Much dialogue was heard and several speeches were made during the competition, including one fromWu Daguang, vice-president of Xiamen University, who gave a concise and humorous speech in English at the opening ceremony.

Judges of the competition are all authoritative experts in interpretation, both at home and abroad, such as Prof. Mei Deming, Dean of the English College at Shanghai International Studies University, Doc. Lin Chaolun, Chinese Consultant at the language center of Middlesex University and Chief Chinese Interpreter for the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Prof. Peng Huirong, Dean of the English department at Zhanghua Normal University.

Because of its geographic advantage in promoting cross-strait academic exchange and communication, along with its unique achievements in teaching and research in the field of interpretation, Xiamen University was chosen as the competition venue. The competition aims to promote cross–strait educational and academic communication, enhance exchange and friendship between students from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, discover and cultivate interpreters with high quality and outstanding proficiency, and deepen people’s understanding of interpretation.

The 14 competitors, surviving several sessions of fierce competition, gave wonderful performances by showing their excellent interpreting skills and quick-to-react abilities. The finals consisted of three parts: casual speech interpreting, formal speech interpreting and challenging speech interpreting. After an entire day of fierce competition, Huang Zhijie from Taiwan Normal Universtity was declared the winner.. The champion will have an opportunity to study in London for one week, subsidized completely by Doc. Lin Chaolun.

In order to make further contributions to cross-strait interpreting development and cross-strait education and academic exchange, the second Cross-Strait Interpretation Competition will be held in Taiwan next year.

China Daily Fujian Bureau