The 8th Asia-Pacific Translation and Interpreting Forum (APTIF) was held on 17-18 June 2016 in Xi'an, China. Some 500 participants from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond attended the forum.
Centering on the theme of "Translation and Interpreting in Tomorrow's Asia-Pacific Region", the participants shared views on the importance of translation and interpreting in regional development, challenges and opportunities facing translator and interpreter training, technological innovation and its application in the language industry, standardization of the language profession and other related subjects.
The participants noted that, as the Asia-Pacific region has become one of the most dynamic and promising regions of the world with both economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges showing an upward trend, quality translation and interpreting and other language services will play a more essential role in accelerating and deepening regional exchanges and cooperation. On the other hand, this region is home to many peoples with diverse cultures and languages of varying origins, posing a huge challenge to communication.
The participants believed that the translation and interpreting community of the region should make use of the APTIF to promote mutual learning among the region's translation and interpreting institutions and professionals, work together to advance the language industry and provide sustained support for the region's further economic and cultural prosperity. Building on this, the translation and interpreting community in the region should also enhance exchanges and cooperation with their counterparts in the rest of the world, so as to pool the efforts of all stakeholders for greater progress of translation and interpreting worldwide.
The participants agreed on establishing the Joint Committee of the Asia-Pacific Translation and Interpreting Forum, a regular working mechanism, so as to engage more translation and interpreting institutions of the region, enhance the representation and influence of the forum, ensure its sustainable development and carry forward its heritage. The Joint Committee will, among other missions, assist and support, in every way possible, the next host of the APTIF in order to facilitate the successful organization of the forum and the continuous advancement of the translation and interpreting profession in the Asia-Pacific region.
The participants expressed thanks to the People's Government of Shaanxi Province, China International Publishing Group, International Federation of Translators (FIT), Translators Association of China (TAC), Xi'an International Studies University (XISU) and all members of the staff and volunteers for their kind support and hard work. The participants consented that the APTIF shall be held every three years. The 9th APTIF will be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in 2019.