During the 8th Beijing International Film Festival, the 2018 Sino-Foreign Audiovisual Translation & Dubbing Cooperation Workshop·Beijing, which is hosted by the Bureau for External Cultural Relations, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and the International Cooperation Department, the State Administration of Radio and Television, presented by the Communication University of China and Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support Network, and sponsored by the Committee of Beijing International Film Festival, was officially commenced in the morning on April 17. The workshop invited 40 foreign guests including film festival chairpersons, directors of film and television organizations, and translation experts from 24 countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, Austria, Russia, France, Britain, Uruguay, Tanzania, Egypt, Sri Lanka, and Senegal. Scholars and experts from more than 30 universities in China have also been invited, and more than 50 Chinese film and television organizations have also participated.

　　The seminar, themed with “Translating Films, Bridging Cultures”, aims to further strengthen the cultural cooperation and exchange of Sino-foreign film and television, deepen the mutual understanding between professionals in translation and dubbing industry from various countries with their Chinese counterparts, promote the further understanding of the development of contemporary film and television art in China, exchange methods of translation and dissemination to improve the cooperation on translation and dubbing.

　　Zhu Qi, Deputy Director of Bureau for External Cultural Relations, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said at the opening ceremony that this workshop has built a high-level, sustainable, pragmatic, mutual-aid, authoritative, and reliable exchange platform for everyone to promote high-level translation and dubbing cooperation on high-quality film and television works, thus achieving in-depth cultural exchanges, and promoting cultural mutual learning.

　　Director of International Cooperation Department, State Administration of Radio and Television Ma li, said in his speech that the translation and dubbing of film and television works is conducive to overcoming the language barriers, expanding the scope of communication and promoting the effect of communication. The native dubbing of the original flavor can reflect the respect of the native language and gain the local people's kindness and identity. The film and television translator should be a traveler, singer and an envoy to promote cultural exchanges and people's mutual understanding, making film and television works become a carrier of civilization appreciation, a bridge to deepen understanding and trust.

　　Zhang Pimin, vice president of China Federation of Radio, Film and Television Social Organizations, frankly stated that in the context of the growing prosperity of exchanges of film and television works between Chinese and foreign countries, there is still much development space and demand concerning the cooperation of Chinese-foreign film and television dubbing and translation works. It is difficult for many excellent film and television works to enter the mainstream market and broadcasting platform in other countries, which attributes to many aspects including lack of talents, communication, and familiarity with overseas markets, and obstructed communicative channels. Therefore, it is becoming more and more important to realize the barrier-free communication between Chinese and foreign film and television culture through accurate translation and high-level communication, and disseminate the spirit and value of various cultures.

　　Jiang Xufan, the Deputy Party Secretary of Communication University of China, said that with the expansion and development of Sino-foreign exchange and China’s film industry, there is a clear gap between industry demand and talents trained in colleges and universities. It is of special urgency and importance to train talents of film and television translation. In 2003, Communication University of China took the lead in setting up the major of audiovisual translation and dubbing in China. As the only university in the country with undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees in audiovisual translation, Communication University of China used its distinctive characteristics and multi-lingual advantages to foster and deliver a large number of outstanding talents of film and television translation and dubbing.

　　Li Zuowen, the Dean of School of Foreign Languages, introduced the construction situation of the major of audiovisual translation and dubbing and made the prospect. He also expressed his hope that this major will be more international under this background. And we should build a teaching and research system of audiovisual translation and dubbing with Chinese characteristics. And then we should build the advanced major with its own features to foster talents of the first class in translation and dubbing and infuse this new strength into audiovisual translation and dubbing field in China, making huge contribution to Sino-Foreign exchanges in audiovisual products.

　　Since 2015, three sessions of Sino-Foreign Audiovisual Translation & Dubbing Cooperation Workshop (SFATD) have been successfully organized by the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the International Cooperation Department of the State Administration of Radio and Television of China. With more than 200 experts from over 60 countries invited to China for study and research, they have established a mechanism of internationalized professional communication and cooperation on audiovisual translation across the national border. Up to now, over 300 outstanding Chinese audiovisual products have been translated or dubbed into more than 20 languages, including English, French, Russian and Arabic, and released in over 70 countries, thanks to the various key audiovisual translation and dubbing projects launched by the State Administration of Radio and Television.

　　This year, the workshop will be held during the 8th Beijing International Film Festival and the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival. The Beijing session will take place between April 17 and 21. Participants from all over the world would cooperate with their Chinese counterparts through activities such as forums, film markets and road shows,and work together on practices like experience-sharing, selected translation and exchange of ideas on the audiovisual industry.