In order to further promote and deepen the development of Cognitive Translation Studies in China, to enhance research and exchange between domestic and international scholars in this field, and to contribute to the construction of Macao as “a base for exchange and cooperation with Chinese culture as the mainstream and the coexistence of different cultures”, the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Macao Polytechnic University successfully held “The 6th National Conference on Cognitive Translation Studies and 2023 Annual Conference of CACSEC-Society of Cognitive Translation Studies”, in collaboration with the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese-Society of Cognitive Translation Studies. This is the first National Conference on Cognitive Translation Studies that has been held in Macao, building a platform for scholars to exchange ideas and further promote and deepen the research and development of Cognitive Translation Studies as well as academic exchanges.

The opening ceremony was officiated by Vivian Lei, Vice-Rector of MPU; Wen Xu, Chairperson of the CACSEC-Society of Cognitive Translation Studies; Zhang Yunfeng, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Language and Translation of MPU; Cao Jin and Lu Zhi, Vice Chairpersons of CACSEC-Society of Cognitive Translation Studies; and more than one hundred specialists and academics from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, who gathered at the University to exchange their opinions on the latest findings of Cognitive Translation Studies. The conference atmosphere was warm and welcoming.

In her opening speech, Vice-Rector Vivian Lei stated that Macao was a base for exchange and cooperation with Chinese culture as the mainstream and the coexistence of different cultures. As a multilingual and multicultural city, Macao was a place where East met West, and it was also an ideal research ground for the development of linguistics, translation studies and cognitive sciences. The Faculty of Languages and Translation of MPU had a history of more than 100 years, and had established relationships with renowned universities and research institutes at home and abroad, having nurtured a large number of language and translation talents and formulated a platform for experts and scholars from all over the world to engage in language and cultural exchanges with outstanding achievements.

Chairperson Wen Xu expressed his gratitude to MPU for the meticulous preparation of this conference, and said that Cognitive Translation Studies was a star subject, a cutting-edge development and a new paradigm of translation studies, and a real embodiment of the national translation research and the construction of the new liberal arts, whose theoretical value and practical significance were self-evident. The 6th National Conference on Cognitive Translation Studies held at MPU was a new opportunity and a new starting point for the development of Cognitive Translation Studies, which brought new perspectives, new inspiration and new directions to academia, and new hopes for the cause of Cognitive Translation Studies in China.

The CACSEC-Society of Cognitive Translation Studies, renowned for achievements in research and application of contrastive linguistics, cross-culture studies and Chinese-English translation studies, is a national academic organization of researchers and tertiary education teachers of English, Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, contrastive studies of Chinese and English languages and culture, and Chinese-English translation and practice. The Society of Cognitive Translation Studies, a subordinate society of the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese (CACSEC), had held five national conferences on Cognitive Translation Studies in collaboration with Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Renmin University of China, Tongji University and other well-known universities, formulating academic platforms for displaying and exchanging the latest findings and achievements of Cognitive Translation Studies.    

At the conference, renowned experts in the field of Cognitive Translation Studies delivered keynote speeches, namely, “Effectiveness of ChatGPT in the Translation of Terms with Chinese Characteristics” by Prof. Wen Xu, Chairperson of the CACSEC-Society of Cognitive Translation Studies; “New Insights into the Basic Translation Issues in the Light of Cognitive Linguistics” by Prof. Liu Zhengguang of Hunan University; “An Eye-Tracking Study of English-Chinese Sight Interpreting by Translation Majors: Off-line Reading vs Online Reading” by Prof. Lu Zhi of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies; “Exploring the Enhancement of Translator’s Profile in Cognitive Processing: A Process and Product-Oriented Comparison between Translation and Paraphrasing” by Prof. Li Dechao of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University;  “A Comparative Study between Human Translation Revision and Machine Translation Post-Editing Based on Error Detecting and Correcting” by Prof. Wang Xiangyun of Hunan University; “Can Profiling be a Corollary Theoretical Construct of Cognitive Translatology?” by Tan Yesheng of Shanghai International Studies University; “Cognitive Translation Studies and Cultural Communication” by Prof. Wang Jianhua of Overseas Chinese University of China; “An Extended Cognitive View on Interpreting: The 3M Model” by Prof. Wen Zhisheng of Hong Kong Shue Yan University; and  “Does Weaker Activation in Brain Means Less Effort and Better Performance? Evidence from UMBA” by Li Defeng of the University of Macao.

Under the theme of “Cognitive Translation: Diversity of Translation Research in the Age of Digital Humanities”, this year’s conference consisted of nine keynote speeches and six plenary sessions. Renowned scholars in the field of Cognitive Translation Studies from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Remin University of China, Shanghai International Studies University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Southwest University gathered at MPU and presented their opinions on topics such as interdisciplinary and diversified translation research in the digital era, and insights into basic translation issues in the light of cognitive linguistics. The conference was carried on in an enjoyable atmosphere, particularly upon the presentation for the first edition of Best Paper Awards on Cognitive Translation Studies.