On September 2, 2013, the launching ceremony of the China International Translation Contest 2013 (CITC 2013) was held in Beijing. CITC 2013 is hosted by the State Council Information Office, Chinese Writers Association and China International Publishing Group (CIPG), and co-organized by the Task Group for "China Book International", the Translators Association of China, the Research Department of Chinese Writers Association, and the People's Literature Magazine. Zhang Yanbin, Director General of the Third Bureau of the State Council Information Office, Li Jingze, secretary of the leading Party group of Chinese Writers Association and Guo Xiaoyong, executive vice president of the CIPG, attended the ceremony.

The China International Translation Contest 2013 (CITC 2013) was launched Sept. 2 in Beijing.

Zhang Yanbin gave an introduction of the contest. CITC 2013 is intended for translators from both home and abroad who love Chinese culture and are dedicated to the translation of China's excellent contemporary works. CITC 2013 is aimed at encouraging the initiative and creativeness in the transmission of Chinese culture to the world, as well as at presenting Chinese culture to the world, extending the international influence of Chinese culture, and promoting cultural prosperity of the whole world. The CITC 2013 organizing committee will provide 30 pieces of contemporary Chinese short stories as source texts for translation. The participants can choose one of the stories to translate into one of the following languages: English, French, Russian, Spanish, or Arabic. The awarded pieces will be chosen from the submitted entries by the judging committee.

Zhang pointed out that translation is an important bridge in the cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world. As China's influence looms larger, foreigners have become increasingly interested in China. Chinese culture's "going out" is not only in accordance with the national strategic development, but also an important measure to build China of a cultural power as outlined by the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Zhang hopes that the competition will draw more outstanding Chinese and foreign translators to Chinese literature and culture, to commit themselves to introducing China to the world, and to help people all over the world to learn more about China through their remarkable translations.

China.org.cn serves as the official website of the competition (http://www.ccgp-fushun.com/arts/citc/index.htm), where translators can find the latest information and the source texts.

The State Council Information Office has devoted itself to promoting effective cultural exchange between China and foreign countries and helping remove language barriers in spreading outstanding Chinese literature works to other parts of the world. Through the Program to Popularize Chinese Books Abroad in 2006 and the Project for Translation and Publication of Chinese Cultural Works and in 2009, it offered extensive funds and aid to introduce more Chinese books into foreign markets, giving foreign readers a wider access to Chinese books with high-quality translations and a better understanding of China and the Chinese culture.

Also present at the ceremony were representatives from the CIPG, Penguin Books, Hachette Livre and the Egypt-China Cultural Exchange Association.

The Foreign Languages Press will publish Recommended Original Works for China International Translation Contest 2013.