11th Asia-Pacific Translation and Interpreting Forum held in Hong Kong

By Zhang Jiaqi | CICG, May 27, 2025

The 11th Asia-Pacific Translation and Interpreting Forum (APTIF) was held in Hong Kong, China, from May 21 to 23, under the theme "Culture, Connectivity and Technology: Translating Communities, Transforming Perspectives." Around 400 representatives from the translation and interpreting sector across dozens of countries and regions attended the event.

Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of China International Communications Group (CICG), executive vice president and secretary general of the Translators Association of China, and council member of the International Federation of Translators (FIT), delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 11th Asia-Pacific Translation and Interpreting Forum held in Hong Kong, China, May 21, 2025. [Photo/HKBU]

Gao said that over its 30-year history, APTIF has grown into the most important platform for exchange within the Asia-Pacific translation and interpreting community. He proposed three key approaches to further advance the field in the region: leveraging regional organizations' leadership for enhanced collaboration, pooling resources and strength for better talent cultivation, and integrating proactive AI research and application to harness technological opportunities.

Ping-kong Wai, president of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), noted in his speech that high-quality translation and interpreting is becoming increasingly important in an era of rapid AI development. He emphasized that the forum serves as a crucial platform for showcasing cutting-edge research, fostering international collaboration, and integrating culture with technology— contributing to the growth of the sector both regionally and globally.

Alison Rodriguez, president of the FIT, praised the forum for its well-structured agenda and organization. She highlighted Asia's strong foundation, potential, and dynamism in translation and interpreting, noting that Asian Regional Center of the FIT (FIT Asia) has played a pivotal role in driving regional progress since its establishment.

Pan Jun, academy director of language and culture of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at HKBU and president of the Hong Kong Translation Society (HKTS), noted in her speech that while AI continues to transform the industry, human translators remain irreplaceable in capturing cultural subtleties and conveying textual depth, and that the forum aims to foster dialogue on innovative human-machine collaboration in translation and interpreting.

The opening ceremony included the presentation of honorary fellowship awards by HKTS, recognizing individuals for their exceptional contributions to the sector in Hong Kong and beyond. Honorees included Mona Baker, professor at the University of Oslo in Norway, Chan Sin-wai, dean of the Ip Ying To Lee Yu Yee School of Humanities and Languages at Saint Francis University in Hong Kong, Sun Yifeng, chair professor of translation studies at the University of Macau, and Tan Zaixi, professor emeritus at HKBU.

The three-day forum featured a series of keynote presentations and speeches on topics such as AI, visualization, and sign language, along with over 40 parallel sessions on academic research, translation and interpreting practice, talent development, and AI. A number of pre-conference workshops and exhibitions were also held.

First launched in 1995 as the Asian Translators Forum, APTIF is held every three years to foster collaboration and growth in the Asia-Pacific translation and interpreting sector. This year's forum is co-hosted by FIT, FIT Asia, HKTS, and HKBU.