Delta variant probably to turn into dominant COVID-19 strain next By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-15 16:00 To date, the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus has been identified in 111 countries, territories or areas, and is on the way to turning into the dominant strain of the virus worldwide, causing an increase in new infections and deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. It warned that the Delta strain is likely to spread to more countries and that it is likely to become the dominant form of COVID-19 "in the coming months". According to WHO figures, COVID-19 cases have jumped in the past week worldwide. Alike circumstances took place in the past and is similarly taking place at present. Pandemics wreak havoc across nations, people and communities ─ spreading disease and obviously showing that communication is one of the most important weapons to fight the calamity. The Role of Medical Translation Services According to Dr. Wioleta Karwacka, a medical expert at the University of Gdansk, now it is vital to “facilitate communication and provide translated versions of medical documents (regulatory documents, scientific papers, patient forms)”. And she’s absolutely right. According to other medical professionals who are now combatting the pandemic and helping the infected people all over the world, the need for medical translation services is becoming more and more exigent, urgent and desperate, which emphasizes the vital significance of translating and localizing the true COVID 19 news stories and updates. It's can't be denied that there’s a flood of fake news circulating online about coronavirus – from false health suggestuins to sheer lies about government plans. It’s, therefore, the duty of global health institutions, news agencies, media outlets as well as trustworthy social media influencers and celebrities to make sure that the fake news is ignored and the true news is communicated across countries and cultures. On a related level, medical translation services should be top on the list of the elements of any coordinated global response to the current COVID 19 pandemic. Let’s admit it. Medical professionals, virus researchers and scientists across the planet will be able to conduct worthwhile studies on finding therapies and vaccines for the coronavirus only when all the relevant research, analyses and other documentation has been precisely translated and circulated on a global scale. In other words, and in a blunter way, when we become capable of translating and distributing medical research, medical analyses and medical data swiftly and accurately among the global research community, we’ll then, and only then be able to respond to this global pandemic smartly, professionally and with success. Significantly, it does not only involve the healthcare sphere, but also the pandemic’s subsequent social impact and the consequent economic disruption. The odds are both effects will be mitigated throug...

Transform agri-food systems in Near East and Africa By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-14 16:00 The Food and Agriculture Organization, in partnership with the private sector, has expressed commitment to transform agri-food systems in the Near East and North Africa to make them more productive, resilient and sustainable. In a virtual dialogue on Monday, July 12th, that brought together the FAO and representatives of the private sector from the two regions, participants talked about the potential of green and inclusive technologies in agriculture. Qu Dongyu, the director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization, said the private sector is a crucial ally in the global fight against food insecurity, malnutrition and rural poverty. He also said that establishment of constructive partnerships and engagement with the private sector is important to achieve the objectives of sustainable development goals. "The Near East and North Africa region is currently facing several major challenges directly linked to the way food is produced, processed, distributed and consumed. Together we can deal with the challenges of the region," Qu said. He said innovation can be fostered towards more sustainable agricultural practices, as well as providing opportunities for decent employment in rural areas through inclusive rural development. Innovative digital innovations, for instance, can facilitate access to financial services by small and medium enterprises, especially in less developed areas, and can bring together producers and consumers through shorter and more resilient value chains. "The private sector is ideally placed to support innovations and improved technologies. Innovation must be a driving force for the public and the private sector, as well as civil society," Qu said. Khaled Hanafy, the secretary-general of the Union of Arab Chambers, said there is need for an "agricultural revolution" in the region through innovative tools, such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. "These could help to address challenges related to irrigation, mechanization and the environment, as well as the distribution and stocking of food," he said. Abdulhakim Elwaer, the FAO's assistant director-general, said even though political commitment remains essential, establishing major alliances and engagement with stakeholders is key to help build consensus towards sustainable development goals. Meanwhile, agriculture localization will also be of great importance. "Together we can better support rural organizations and empower the most vulnerable communities, including smallholder producers, youth and women, through inclusive pro-poor interventions in rural areas," he said. According to the FAO regional overview of food security and nutrition, more than 51 million people in the Near East and North Africa are suffering from hunger and the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to worsen the situation. Meanwhile, the United Nations on Monday, July 12th, lamented a ...

Make the Flowers of All Countries' Dreams Bloom By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-13 15:00 Lately, the 10th China Flower Expo concluded on Shanghai's Chongming Island. I had the honor to visit the expo, where the good environment and the grand exhibition deeply impressed me, which also prompted me to think critically about the theme of the expo-"Blossom with a Chinese Dream". As a Republic of Korea diplomat in Shanghai, I have spent a long time observing how China achieves its Chinese Dream, and contemplating what its realization would mean for the world. I think I am not the only person who is concerned with the question. A lot of people around the world also care about the Chinese Dream. Some of their comments are not very positive. They think of the Chinese Dream as a threat or as something that would shake global stability. But it has dawned on me that we can comprehend the Chinese Dream better from the perspective of flower blossom. A flower is more beautiful when it is put in a bundle or it blooms in large numbers in a vast area, which is quite different from the law of the animal world. Animals have a strong sense of territory. After a male lion declares its dominance over an area, it will not allow other male lions to enter the territory. For a long time, the international community abide by the law of the animals. In the past, wars broke out when imperialism and colonialism drove people to fight for their land. Now, wars have just changed to another form－the fight for market dominance is now being conducted under the name of trade protectionism. It's time for the world to transfer its mindset from the cruel forest law to the "flower model" as countries have never been so interdependent as they are today. Combating climate change requires endeavors from each member of the global village while industrial development requires concerted and stable supply chains. And the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic shows that no country can be safe so long as others are struggling to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. We should draw lessons from the flower blossoms, not from dogfights. Flowers don't fight for sunlight, water or soil; rather they grow and bloom in a manner of peaceful coexistence. They know the strength of unity－blooming together helps pollens spread faster and farther. This is the best representation of the idea of "seeking common ground while shelving differences". In nature, it's all about sharing resources. In my opinion, the rise of China and the realization of the Chinese Dream should follow the flower model, and my modest opinion is not alien to the Chinese. I hope that the flowers of the Chinese Dream bloom in the same harmonious and friendly way. As a Chinese saying goes, "Sharing your happiness is much better than enjoying your happiness alone." The beautiful flower scene should inspire people to appreciate together, and I believe that the fruits of China's development will also be shared by the ...

AI giants Can Benefit Worldwide Nations By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-12 16:00 A suite of the latest gadgets and solutions supplied with artificial intelligence made it to the 2021 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, the best embodiments of China's rich application scenarios that foster the sector's quick takeoff. SenseTime is debuting its first autonomous-driving bus blending AI with augmented reality technology. The minibus can realize a Level 4, or 'high automation' driving level, where the vehicle does not need human intervention in given conditions. During the ride, passengers also get to view road conditions and scenery along the road in real time through two screens installed in the front and side of the vehicle cabin. UBTECH Robotics, which makes intelligent humanoid robotics and AI technologies, unveiled its latest version of bipedal humanoid robot called Walker X during the event. The robot has been upgraded to perform a wider range of household tasks, including serving tea, pouring liquids, watering flowers, wiping surfaces and operating a vacuum cleaner. The gadget demonstrates its diversified and intelligent in-home service capabilities, being able to climb stairs, walk up and down slopes, play chess in real time, and walk on uneven terrain. What's more, Walker X can control common artificial internet of things devices, such as lights and appliances independently and according to user habits and scenarios. IFlytek, the AI company with a specialty in voice recognition, is showing a dual-screen translator it recently launched. Two users can speak into the device and the translation is then presented to the other person in written form in real time on a screen attached to the other side. In daily conversation translation function, simultaneous interpretation level real-time translation can be realized without any operation, and the translation results are pushed to the screen in real time. These gadgets and solutions backed by artificial intelligence shows that in the race to become the leader in artificial intelligence, China is way ahead of the rest of the world except the United States. What does that mean for the other countries? Will these two global technology giants soak up the AI economic dividend all for themselves? The answer is "no". There is a huge opportunity for smaller, agile economies in Asia－to borrow from Isaac Newton－to stand on the shoulders of the two giants in order to reap the benefits of AI application in their own industries. Of course, it's right to recognize the supremacy of the US and China. The AI research infrastructure they have built has translated into an unassailable advantage over other competing countries in Europe, North America and Asia. This is due to a number of factors: the depth of their capital markets, the richness of their skills bases, the dominant position of their cash-rich technology companies, and the data generation capacity of their vast po...

WHO team rebuts COVID-19 lab theory By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-9 17:30 The team of experts organized by the WHO investigate the origin of the COVID-19 virus, have rebutted claims that COVID-19 virus leaked from a Chinese laboratory, emphasizing that their research was cohesive and comprehensive. "To this day, no scientific evidence has been found to back the theory that the virus was made by humans in a lab. Reckless propagation of the theory that the virus originated in a lab should be discarded," said Wu Zhiqiang, a researcher at the Institute of Pathogen Biology under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College. Wu was a member of an international team, which visited Wuhan in Hubei province from Jan 14 to Feb 10 to search the origin of SARS-CoV-2. The team was convened by the World Health Organization and consisted of 17 Chinese and 17 foreign experts with the help of medical translation when necessary. "Respecting scientific facts was the bedrock for the launch of the mission. During the mission, Chinese and foreign experts came together as a whole and conducted research with the prerequisite of absolute openness and transparency." Wu said. According to a report released on March 30, the joint team made a conclusion that the virus most likely spread from bats to humans via an intermediary animal. The likelihood that it was leaked from a lab in Wuhan is "extremely unlikely", the report said. It was through clear and unbiased methodology and reasoning that the team arrived at these conclusions, team members said. Wu said: "The expert team began by analyzing available data in the three fields of epidemiology, molecular epidemiology and animal and environmental studies. Based on the findings in these fields, and suggestions derived from them, the team then proposed four possible origins." The team also investigated direct transmission of the virus from an animal to a human and transmission through cold-chain products as possible origins of the virus. Meanwhile, during investigation, both sides complied with scientific principles and openness, said Liang Wannian, a public health professor at Tsinghua University and leader of the Chinese experts on the team. Neither side had predetermined positions when the investigation started. In assessing the theory that the virus originated in a laboratory, the report dispelled the speculation with evidence-based investigations. The presence of the human ACE2 receptor and a furin-cleavage site in the virus were initially interpreted in one hypothesis as evidence of bioengineering because they enable the virus to enter human cells. But the report pointed out that both of them "have been found in (natural) animal viruses as well". The report added that before December 2019, when the first domestic case was detected in Wuhan, the team had found no record of viruses closely related to SARS-CoV-2 in any laboratory, no genomes similar enough to that of the ...

Remote Working Challenges During Post-COVID By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-8 10:30 Nowadays, it is generally considered that China is a veteran in remote working. Home to some of the world's largest companies, back at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of millions of workers were told to work online. The infamous 996 work schedule was replaced colloquially by another tongue-in-cheek phrase, 007, which means at home, all the time. Now being mainstream, remote working provides numerous benefits which, pre-pandemic, were limited to fringe, forward-thinking companies. From the obvious, such as lower office rental expenditures and more manageable schedules, to saving money and time on commutes, many specialists also claimed an increase in productivity and employee loyalty. Issues of Remote Working However, home offices are far from perfect and many other issues, such as loneliness and a blurring of work/life balance, also loom. Organizations must solve these issues as workplaces increasingly incorporate home working for the masses. Remote meetings are susceptible to poor internet connections in the homes of employees who do not have the luxury of dedicated IT departments. Face-to-face meetings will always require an interpersonal charm over pixelated video links. Meanwhile, Interpreting Services are vital during remote meetings. Quality of visual communication is crucial, and a way round this could be the utilization of recorded video messages. Already video messaging apps are in circulation among young tech-savvy salespeople who know the significance of a personal touch; however, translating this to corporate communications would do well for teams struggling with poor connections in real time. Usually some meetings can be unnecessary and easily replaced by a quick email. The novelty of home working and being isolated from a physical team presence can lead many to overuse video links in an attempt to compensate. This, however, can be timewasting. Changing remote work culture to minimize emails and keep group meetings to essential events with key clear agendas will streamline office function greatly. Passive knowledge shared in a physical office is, for many, a key understated component of career progression. Managers sharing quick tips with interns and new recruits are part of a social corporate system vital for staff development, no matter how temporary the encounter. Remote working seriously limits these opportunities, although this may be overcome through encouraging out-of-hours teambuilding exercises or social functions. So-called "water cooler chat" is more essential than many think, and important for building trusting and effective relationships between workers. If COVID-19 restrictions allow for it, organized social meetings in real life would further benefit. Managers will have a heavy responsibility to make sure that workers integrate well into home working culture. Accurate and simple communication will ...

Benefit from decades of exchange projects? By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-6 15:00 It's reported that students from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative benefit from education experience in China. People-to-people exchanges are deepening the connections between countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. For most Chinese meeting Yachongtou Bouaphanh from Laos, it would probably not be obvious that he is a foreigner. For apart from being Asian, he speaks Chinese with the slightest hint of an accent. The Laotian might even be regarded as a Guangxi local. Yachongtou, 28, is a second-year graduate student of Guangxi University for Nationalities in Nanning, where he has studied since 2019, specializing in economics and language, including topics such as the effect of language skills on income and trade. Yachongtou started to learn Chinese at the Confucius Institute when he was an undergraduate in Laos, and took on a Chinese name, Du Kaikang. He is considering what path to follow after he graduates, but it is likely to be something about trade and economic collaboration between China and Laos, two vital countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. In addition to Laos, other ASEAN countries－Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam－have conducted educational exchange with China for decades. They have become even closer after the 10 countries joined the BRI. Even as countless Chinese study abroad, China plays host to many students from Asian countries. Of the international students in China in 2019, 54.1 percent were from countries participating in the BRI, according to Ministry of Education data published last year. Yachongtou is among tens of thousands of foreign students in Guangxi, one of the regions in China that hosts the most overseas students from ASEAN countries. In 2019 international students from these 10 BRI countries studying in Guangxi accounted for 64 percent of all foreign students there. Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam each had more than 1,000 of its nationals pursuing higher education in Guangxi. In the same year, Guangxi University for Nationalities recruited 1,555 foreign students, more than 93 percent of them from ASEAN countries. Because of COVID-19, the university has fewer foreign students, but 815 from ASEAN countries were admitted last year, accounting for more than 87 percent of its foreign student intake. "Guangxi has its advantages of location, being close to many ASEAN countries," says Feng Guanghuo, director of the university's Department of International Cooperation and Exchange. The Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, is just 30 minutes away by air, and the Laotian capital, Vientiane, is just 90 minutes away, Feng says. Convenient transport has greatly promoted communications among neighboring countries, so more international students have been attracted to apply to study in Guangxi, he says. As education i...

Increasing demands for fireworks in US By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-7-5 10:00 A leading US safety and trade association reported that firework imports from China are steadily growing in the United States. According to The American Pyrotechnics Association, although there is a shortage of firework products in the US because of domestic supply chain problems, the total weight of fireworks sold in the country still hit a record 404.5 million pounds (183.5 million kilograms) last year, with nearly all of its backyard consumer fireworks and two-thirds of professional display products manufactured in China. That figure shows an increase by 48 percent from the previous year and would also translate to each American using at least 1 pound of fireworks last year. Julie L Heckman, executive director of APA, said the US experienced unprecedented sales and utilization of backyard consumer fireworks during the pandemic last year, with industry revenue nearly doubling from $1 billion to $1.9 billion. "But approximately 30 percent of the consumer fireworks needed for this Independence Day either didn't make it out of China, are sitting on ocean vessels in the Pacific Ocean waiting to berth at the ports, or they've been sitting at the West Coast ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach for nine to 12 weeks waiting to be put on the rail of APA," said Heckman. "That's a safety concern to us that hazardous material should not be sitting in at these ports for a lengthy period of time," she said. "And I know that the National Retail Federation also requested that the administration look into the supply chain disruptions, because all consumer goods are being impacted right now." Due to the consumer fireworks deficiency and the massive increase in transportation related costs, the APA said consumers are likely to spend more when they  lay in  extensive stores of consumer fireworks for their backyard celebrations this Fourth of July. Heckman also said the professional side of the industry is going to experience a summer of recovery after widespread cancellations last year, as people celebrate both the Fourth of July and the beginning of a post-pandemic era. "I think we're going to exceed 2019 levels, but I don't think it will be as high as 2020," she said. Solid quality Fireworks is a popular consumer product and has narrowly avoided additional tariffs imposed on wide-ranging Chinese imports by the previous US administration. Heckman had attended a June 2019 hearing to argue against the increased tariffs at the International Trade Commission in Washington. She said US companies have forged close ties with their Chinese partners to produce the "highest quality and safest" fireworks, and it would take 10 to 15 years if they were compelled to shift production elsewhere. While July 4 is still the big day for the big bang, Americans keep to use fireworks all year round to celebrate festivals, special events and sporting traditions such as the ...