Chinese vaccine makers help increase supplies greatly overseas By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-8-11 15:00 Chinese vaccine makers are in closer cooperation with foreign countries to facilitate local production of their COVID-19 shots and promote technology transfers, as part of intensifying efforts to boost supplies in areas facing shortages. Sinovac Biotech said last week that it intends to build a vaccine filling and packaging plant in Chile, with an investment of $60 million and an annual capacity of 50 million doses. The facility, located in the Santiago region, is to be finished in the first quarter of next year. "It is not only an important day for Chile, because once the factory produces vaccines here, they will be able to export them to Latin America," Chilean Health Minister Enrique Paris was quoted as saying by Spanish news agency EFE during a ceremony held on Aug 4. Sinovac is also considering the establishment of a vaccine research and development center in the country's northern region of Antofagasta, to further expand cooperation in vaccine R&D, the company said at the ceremony. Its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine gained emergency use approval from Chile in January. Earlier this month the company's vaccine is over 80 percent effective at preventing hospitalizations, severe cases or deaths according to the latest real-world studies, the country's health authority said. As of the end of June, Sinovac has achieved emergency use authorization or conditional market approval from 50 countries and regions through bilateral deals, and has supplied vaccines to over 40 countries, mainly in Latin America, Southeast and South Asia and the Middle East. "When we first initiated research into COVID-19 vaccines, we already considered the possibility of providing semifinished vaccine products to developing economies, and transferring our technology there on the basis of their local production capacity," Yang Guang, chief business officer for Sinovac, said during a previous interview. "In addition to establishing our own domestic manufacturing base, promoting local production (in foreign countries) can help truly deliver on the promise of making vaccines a global public good," Yang said. Yang said such cooperation was first launched in countries where Sinovac had conducted its third-stage clinical trials, including Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia, where demand is also high. Sinovac is one of the major COVID-19 vaccine developers in China making headway in transferring technology overseas to bolster local supplies. Sinopharm, the developer of another domestic two-shot vaccine, rolled out its vaccine filling and packaging factory in Serbia on July 12. The plant will produce an average of 3 million doses a month, and the first batch will be delivered to areas in Serbia. On July 5, the company announced that it will work with a company in Morocco to help it make 5 million shots a month, based on an existing production line. CanSino Biol...

UN climate report, a 'code red' By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-8-10 15:00 With longer warm seasons, shorter cold seasons and more frequent extreme events, climate change will pose a tougher challenge in coming decades, according to a report released Monday, 10 August, by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the UN. Meanwhile, a long-awaited report by the United Nations-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said that it is a "statement of fact" that humanity is having a damaging effect on the climate, and it is "unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land". The report, issued ahead of the COP26 climate change conference to take place in Glasgow later this year, was described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as a "code red" warning for humanity about the damage it had done, and the urgent steps it needed to take to avoid making the situation even worse. "If we combine forces now, we can prevent climate catastrophe," Guterres added. "But, as today's report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses. I count on government leaders and all stakeholders to ensure COP26 is a success." Since 1970, the report said, global surface temperatures have risen faster than over any 50-year period in the past 2,000 years, with the results being seen in examples of extreme climate conditions, such as the bushfires raging across Greece and Turkey, and severe flooding seen in parts of Europe and China's Henan province. The report references more than 14,000 scientific papers, with 234 authors around the world contributing, and 195 governments involved, and it applies far more direct language than the last such document, published in 2013, which said human impact on the climate system was "clear". This time, UN Environment Program chief Inger Ansersen said: "Nobody's safe and it's getting worse faster. We must treat climate change as an immediate threat." Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, likened the visible impact of humanity's actions on the natural world to doping in sport. No grounds for optimism Moves toward net zero carbon emissions by 2050 could help stabilize rising temperatures, but report author Tamsin Edwards told Sky News that even this could not really be seen as grounds for optimism just yet. "We're not there, and we are on higher emissions pathways at the moment that would lead to much greater climate change," she said. Doug Parr, a climate scientist, said the recent wave of climate-related disasters was the result of previous years of inaction, and showed that this generation of world leaders was the "last that can afford to ignore" the severity of the situation. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We know what must be done ... consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature and provide climate finance for countries on the frontline." And language localization ...

Hamlet performed in native language of Tibet By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-8-06 15:00 Mingled with some Tibetan traditional tunes and dancing steps, a new production of the Shakespearean classic Hamlet was staged by young Tibetans in both Mandarin and Tibetan languages in Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region, on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The most famous soliloquy from Hamlet was uttered in the Tibetan language — "To be or not to be, that is the question" — creating a fresh atmosphere for the Tibetan audience to watch the drama in their own language for the first time. This new production of Hamlet was directed by Pu Cunxin, chairman of the Chinese Dramatists Association, and it was performed by 22 Tibetan college graduates. As the first Tibetan graduates to receive bachelor's degrees from the performance department of the theater, the 22 had also just graduated in the Tibetan class of the performance department of the Shanghai Theatre Academy over the summer. "This masterpiece handed down for 400 years exudes a new aura of ethnic flavor as interpreted by young Tibetan actors and an infusion of Tibetan cultural elements," Pu said, adding that the production was a gift to Tibet. "It's also a challenge for the Tibetan students to perform the drama in their own language. We hope it will be a good integration between Tibetan and Shakespearean cultures," Pu said. "Bringing a bit of Tibetan cultural elements into the drama does not change what is true in the drama; instead, it adds more fun for the audience." Wang Yang, an associate professor in the academy's performance department, said Tibet is a unique magical land in his mind. "By blending Shakespeare with Tibetan culture today, we have watched a great multicultural and brilliant performance on this stage," Wang said. Tenzin Samphel, a Tibetan student who plays Rosencrantz in the drama, said he was proud to be part of the famous drama utilizing his own ethnic language in front of his relatives and friends. Just as is the case with many sectors, the culture industry is becoming increasingly globalised in the modern age. More and more works like dramas, films and TV series are being submitted for translation, and as the modern consumer expects work to be released in their native language almost simultaneously to its original language release, the pressure for translators to work quickly is building. However, the job of the translators is not only to translate the content but also to ensure that the native audience can enjoy. Localization therefore plays a vital role in the process. In order to successfully translate and localize the shows from different countries, it is imperative that the translator first understands the cultural perception of the target audience. Objects and ideas hold a variety of symbolic meanings in different nations, so it’s vital that the connotations of colours, foods and animals, amongst many other things, are taken into account before undertaking a li...

Survey shows vaccines slow down COVID-19 transmission By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-8-05 17:00 A study of near 100,000 volunteers in England has revealed the major influence that novel coronavirus vaccination has in stopping transmission of the Delta virus, the form of the virus that is now dominating infection across the country. The survey, conducted by Imperial College London, looked at 98,000 cases and found that vaccination halved transmission and was also 60 percent effective when it came to preventing symptoms. Due to the Delta variant's dominance, it was the only strain of the virus looked at in the study, which covered both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, but did not specify the figures for each. "Vaccination remains highly effective against Delta," said Paul Elliott, co-leader of the project. Tom Wingfield, senior clinical lecturer at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, told the Financial Times that the results, coming after other studies, gave a more optimistic outlook for the future. "The findings, when coupled with other studies demonstrating the impact of coronavirus vaccines on reducing hospitalization and death from COVID-19, are encouraging," he said. "However, (they) also serve as a reminder that, even with extremely high vaccine coverage, we are highly likely to have a further wave of infections in the autumn (fall)." Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today program, Imperial College study leader Elliot said that overall, the United Kingdom's handling of the pandemic was "going in the right direction" but the big challenge was ensuring that this progress was not lost later in the year-with continued vaccination key to making this happen. "We think at the moment things are going in the right direction now as schools are closed, people are on holiday and people are mixing outdoors more," he said. "The big issue is what's going to happen in the autumn when people go back to school and there's more indoor mixing, people go back to work. So it's really, really important, in our view, that as many people as possible get double vaccinated before the autumn period. That will increase the downward pressure on the virus." He also stressed that the highest recent infection levels were among unvaccinated people up to the age of 24. "Anything we can do to reduce transmission in that group would be helpful," he added. When asked if it was advisable for children to be vaccinated, he said: "Although it is true that most children will not be badly affected by the virus, there is a proportion that will go on to have longer-term illness. The government has indicated that the 16- to 17-year-old age bracket is likely to be the next one to be vaccinated. Universities minister Michelle Donelan told Sky News the government was waiting for an announcement from the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immuniation, or JCVI. "At every stage throughout the pandemic, we've adopted their advice on this," she said. "They are the experts, ...

Translated works enhance mutual understanding between different cultures By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-8-04 17:00 The wide availability of translated books plays a crucial role in development within a country. That's a belief that Ahmed Alsaid is keen for more people to appreciate. As the chief of a publishing company focused on the Middle East, he has an insider's view on the benefits that translated works bring in opening up cultures to outsiders and generating added vitality to people-to-people exchanges. Alsaid, chief executive of Bayt Elhekma Group for Cultural (Egypt-China-UAE) Co, says few people can master multiple foreign languages to read classic works in their original form, which means most of us need translated editions to learn the ideas expressed in languages other than our own. For Cairo-based Alsaid, there is a direct connection between reading the works of foreign authors and cooperation among people worldwide. "As the number of translations of books increase, people's understandings of the outside world are increasing as well. This, in turn, has furthered the breadth and depth of cooperation between countries," he says. Alsaid chose to major in Chinese at Al-Azhar University in the Egyptian capital. After his first visit to China in 2010, he became actively engaged in the translation and publication of Chinese books in the Arabic-speaking world. Recently, Alsaid says, books about Xi Jinping's thoughts are popular, along with those on Chinese literature, history, martial arts, and traditional Chinese medicine. Books for learning Mandarin form an indispensable part of the Chinese book market in the Arab region, he adds. "Books on President Xi's thoughts are the 'golden key' to understanding the development of contemporary China amid the global community's attention on China," he says. "Chinese literature reflects China's characteristics in different areas. Just like other bestsellers, good literary works can cross all borders." The Arabic version of Cries in the Drizzle, by Chinese novelist Yu Hua, was published in 2018 and went on to be recommended as one of the five must-read translated books for the summer of 2019 by Raseef22, an Arabic media network. Rabai al-Madhoun, a winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, describes the book as a rare example of a novel whose narrative just flows in a way that amazes the reader. Bringing up opportunities "With the publication of various Chinese literary books in Arabic in the past, Arabic readers have more opportunities to know more about Chinese literature," Alsaid says. "Of course, the fact that these books can be accepted and loved by Arabic readers is inseparable from the hard work of a group of fluent translators." He says that recently, many writers in Arabic have put out books about China. Their perspectives on China can be of value to Chinese readers. Alsaid says his company is keen to translate such books into Chinese in the future. "Transla...

Perfect Blend at Tokyo Games By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-8-03 17:00 Alliance of predomination: Foreign coaches and China's Olympians Even handling with cultural differences, the language barrier and homesickness exacerbated by the pandemic, a group of foreign coaches has hit on a medal-winning formula with China's hardworking Olympians at Tokyo 2020. Halfway through the action at Tokyo 2020, the Chinese delegation has witnessed a series of breakthroughs in some of the country's underdeveloped sports, masterminded by a foreign legion of world-class coaches and trainers. Guided by a total of 30 foreigners in Tokyo－the most among a Chinese delegation since the 2008 Beijing Games－Team China has expanded its prowess beyond its strength events, such as table tennis and weightlifting, to a number of Western-dominated sports. The success comes from a special blend of foreign expertise with the traditionally rigorous State-run development system. It is an alliance perhaps best epitomized by the moment when French coach Hugues Obry carried fencer Sun Yiwen on his shoulder after Sun claimed China's first Olympic gold medal in women's individual epee on July 24. Obry, a gold-medal winner with the French men's team at the 2004 Olympics, joined China's national program five years ago, tasked with reviving an epee team that left the Rio Games without any golds. "For me, it was not a tough decision to make," Obry told China Daily through an interpreter in Tokyo. "I was intrigued by the challenge to work with a foreign team away from home, and to see if I could bring my understanding of fencing to a different culture and make it work. "For my family in France, it was probably a hard decision. But they accepted the choice I made and the sacrifice paid off," added Obry, who has spent most of the past five years away from his wife and two kids. French recipe Obry's compatriots Christian Bauer and Daniel Levavasseur led China's swordsmen and women to gold medals at Beijing 2008 (men's individual saber) and London 2012(women's team epee). The disappointing performance at Rio 2016 triggered a reshuffle of the national program, with Obry immediately shaking things up by picking a new generation of talent. "My selection was not the strongest at that time, but I picked those that I could help improve the most and who were committed to working with me until 2020. "Chinese athletes are all hardworking, which instantly impressed me. "What they lacked was the quality and intensity in training. They have to train hard enough in the right way, not just for long enough." Under Obry's guidance, Sun, one of only two fencers in the squad with previous Olympic experience in Tokyo, fended off a series of tough opponents before meeting world No 1 Ana Maria Popescu in the final. Sun outmaneuvered the Romanian veteran with composure and precision to secure an 11-10 overtime win. In the euphoria of victory, Obry stormed onto the piste cheering loudly and holdi...

EU budget rules reforms for investment and growth By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-30 16:00 The European Union must adapt to post-pandemic realities and propose reforms to budget legislation to help boost investment and growth, said the bloc's economics chief, in comments that are likely to reignite debate around the divisive issue. Paolo Gentiloni called for a far-reaching legislative overhaul of the bloc's Stability and Growth Pact, or SGP, which was suspended by the European Commission at the start of the pandemic in spring last year. The SGP consists of a set of rules designed to make sure that countries in the bloc coordinate their fiscal policies. In March, the commission said that SGP rules would likely remain suspended until early 2023, and a consultation on how to amend the rules surrounding the SGP will start later this year. Gentiloni told the Financial Times, in an interview published on Thursday, that he wanted EU budget rules that would provide an incentive for the green and digital transition, while also fostering stability. "It is clear we cannot simply go back to normal," Gentiloni said. "You need common rules that are connected to the economic challenges we have. Otherwise, the risk is that the European Commission will spend the next decade finding creative ways to bypass its own rules, which I think is not the best solution we can have." However, it is predicted that more fiscally conservative northern European member states would argue against any proposals to alter the rules, said the newspaper. The EU treaty sets a basic target for member states of maintaining public debt at 60 percent of gross domestic product and deficits to 3 percent. Returning to SGP rules would indicate that punishing public debt reduction policies would be imposed on nations. Gentiloni said he doubted this was the correct move. Last September, the idea of returning to SGP rules was described as "unimaginable" by Clement Beaune, the Europe minister for France. Gentiloni said he wants reforms to reflect post-pandemic realities, including the rise in eurozone public debt burdens to 100 percent of GDP. He said he preferred changes like those advised by the European Fiscal Board, a commission advisory body, that would limit the growth rate of public spending in a more "simple and observable" way. "There are a lot of possible solutions, proposals, if we recognize the need to encourage, to strengthen, public investment in certain sectors," he added. Speaking on the short-term economic outlook for the bloc, Gentiloni reiterated commission forecasts that indicated the strongest growth in decades. Earlier this month, it predicted expansion of 4.8 percent this year and 4.5 percent next. He said that the growing success of the bloc's vaccination campaign meant the economic situation was more positive. "I think the recovery will proceed. All in all our brighter forecast is still supported by what we see on the ground," he said. This article...

Scientists, scholars propose to remove politics from virus debate By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-29 16:00 Greater international cooperation on combating the COVID-19 pandemic is in need and less politicization of scientific issues, such as tracing the origin of the virus that causes the disease, according to Chinese scientists and scholars. Gao Fu, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said investigating the origin of the virus is a scientific question that should be answered scientifically. "Nobody should be blaming others. Probing the origin of the virus cannot be politicized," he said during the 23rd Annual Meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology, which started on Tuesday and ended on Wednesday. Gao said the pathogen may acquire new properties by mutating and then breaching the body's immune system. Therefore, it is vital to enhance international scientific cooperation based on openness, trust and collaboration, he added. Wang Hongyang, a noted oncologist and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the current public health challenges are unprecedented. "People are starting to realize that when a public health crisis hits, there is no such thing as a safe harbor," she said at the meeting. "We are all in this together, and only through international cooperation can we ensure global public health security." Wang said that since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has taken the "most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures" to curb the disease, allowing the country to go from being the most vulnerable to the virus to one of the safest nations in the world. China has also taken tangible measures to improve global public health in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, including monetary donations to the World Health Organization and offering other countries with vaccines and aid. "Only by respecting human lives as the upmost priority, along with enhancing cooperation and mutual assistance, can the international community form a collective force to tackle emerging public health crises and embrace a … healthy future," she said. Xue Lan, dean of Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, said that after the end of the Cold War, international cooperation on science and technology rapidly expanded, but in recent years, political issues between major countries have undermined this momentum. "All of humanity has benefited from global cooperation in science and technology," Xue said. Now, there are politicians whose agendas are interfering with the collaborative consensus among scientists, namely, that science has no borders, and science and technology should benefit all mankind, he said. "The international scientific community must adamantly push back against these political challenges," he said. Kazuki Okimura, former president of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, said science exchanges and cooperation, such as those between China and Japan, are significant for tr...