English Translation of Combative Discourse in International Publicity Texts and the Construction of National Image: Taking Xi Jinping: The Governance of China IV as an Example ()
1. Introduction
Since its initial publication in 2014, the series of books titled Xi Jinping: The Governance of China has expanded to include four volumes, with multilingual editions attracting numerous international readers and garnering significant attention from scholars in the field of translation. In recent years, studies on the translation of this book have become increasingly comprehensive. From the perspective of research content, a considerable amount of translation studies focus on metaphors, expressions with Chinese characteristics, classical poetry and prose, allusions, and culture-loaded words (Yang, Zhang, & Tan, 2023). However, studies specifically addressing the recurring combative discourse within these texts remain limited. Combative discourse embodies a strong spirit of struggle and a challenging tone, capable of arousing emotions in readers or listeners and inspiring them to take action or support particular viewpoints. Due to the influence of Chinese history and culture, such discourse is easily understood and accepted by Chinese people. However, when translating into foreign languages, it is necessary to consider the differences in thinking and language habits between Chinese and Western cultures. Translations of works by national leaders play a vital role in conveying China’s voice, telling China’s stories, and constructing a positive national image. Although combative discourse constitutes only a small part of political discourse, improper translation can lead to misunderstandings or even provoke disputes, thereby affecting the construction of a positive national image. Therefore, this paper uses the Chinese-English versions of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China IV as source material, analyzing the methods of translating combative discourse and how the translated texts reflect specific national images while conveying the original information. The aim is to provide valuable insights for future studies on the English translation of similar international publicity texts.
2. Combative Discourse and National Image Construction
2.1. Overview of Combative Discourse
Combative discourse is characterized by its strong, clear, and concise tone, which can inspire people’s fighting spirit and has a powerful appeal and rallying power. It was often used in times of war; for example, many of Mao Zedong’s poems employ inspiring and heroic combative discourse (Yang, 2012). Throughout history, the Chinese nation has endured internal and external challenges, and the Chinese people have always united to resist foreign aggression and internal turmoil, maintaining national dignity and peace. This has formed the Chinese nation’s qualities of bravery, resilience, and indomitable spirit. In today’s peaceful era, these qualities are still inherited, and combative discourse can fully reflect these qualities. Therefore, such discourse is still prevalent in various fields of daily life, for example:
1) 日媒关注：小米公司进军电动汽车市场。(参考消息，2024-04-02)
Japanese media focus: Xiaomi Corporation enters the electric vehicle market (Reference News, 2024-04-02)
2) 当日，中国队选手出战2项，摘得2金。(湛江日报，2024-03-25)
On that day, Chinese athletes participated in two events and won two gold medals (Zhanjiang Daily, 2024-03-25)
As mentioned above, historical factors have influenced cultural values, and the demands of modern society create a fertile ground for combative discourse. The use of combative discourse by contemporary leaders can arouse people’s patriotic sentiments, enhance cohesion, and inspire the people to strive for the development and progress of the country. In Xi Jinping: The Governance of China IV, combative discourse is frequently used, for example:
1) 2017年，党的十九大把精准脱贫作为三大攻坚战之一进行全面部署，锚定全面建成小康社会目标，聚力攻克深度贫困堡垒，决战决胜脱贫攻坚。(习近平，2022: p. 127)
At the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017, comprehensive plans were drawn up to achieve targeted poverty alleviation, as poverty, pollution, and major risks had been identified as the targets of three critical battles. To achieve the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the CPC focused its efforts on breaking through the last strongholds of absolute poverty and securing a decisive victory in this battle (Xi, 2022: p. 146).
2) 学史增信，就是要增强信仰、信念、信心，这是我们战胜一切强敌、克服一切困难、夺取一切胜利的强大精神力量。(习近平，2022:519)
In other words, through studying Party history, we will have stronger faith, firmer convictions, and greater confidence, which will inspire us to overcome difficulties, defeat enemies, and secure victories (Xi, 2022: p. 603).
Combative language is part of military language, and compared to other categories of military language, its tone is more intense (He & Lin, 2023). Both Chinese and Western languages exhibit the generalization of military language, i.e., its cross-domain use. However, due to differences in living environments and historical development, the extent and scope of such generalization in English are far less extensive than in Chinese (Li, 2016). Therefore, when translating between Chinese and English, it is necessary to fully consider these differences to avoid misunderstandings.
2.2. The Relationship between the English Translation of Combative Discourse and the Construction of National Image
The national image is defined as “the relatively stable perception and evaluation of a country by individuals, groups, or the entirety of the international community” (Hu & Li, 2017). It encompasses multiple aspects of a country, including politics, economy, culture, society, and ecology.
In the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping pointed out that we should “enhance the country’s capacity for international communication, tell China’s story well, and present a real, multi-dimensional, and comprehensive China.” The image of China presented on the international stage is increasingly influential for China’s social development and the dissemination of Chinese culture. The image needs to be shaped. “The shaping of China’s image includes self-shaping and other-shaping. Self-shaping refers to the efforts by the Chinese government, institutions, and citizens to shape China’s image, while other-shaping refers to the efforts by foreign governments, institutions, and individuals to shape China’s image” (Hu & Li, 2017). With China’s rapid development and rising international status, the country has placed greater emphasis on the shaping and dissemination of its own image. However, due to the long-term dominance of Western media in global communications, their portrayal and construction of China’s image are often based on Orientalist perspectives and Western modes of thinking. These images are repeatedly presented in mainstream media, gradually forming a potentially inaccurate image of China in the eyes of Westerners (Wang, 2018). In the world public opinion arena, China lacks the discourse power to shape its own image, meaning that China’s image is more often shaped by others rather than by itself. This situation, along with the Western misunderstanding of the real China, has had a negative impact on China’s image (Zhu, 2018). Westerners primarily learn about China through reading translations or engaging with other translated media. However, due to differences in Chinese and foreign stances and cultural backgrounds, Western translators inevitably bring a certain degree of subjectivity when translating China’s publicity texts. This subjectivity can mislead Western readers, affecting their ability to form a comprehensive and objective understanding of China. To construct a true image of China, relying solely on other-shaping is insufficient. The Chinese people must take the initiative to shape their own image through translation. Huang Youyi, during the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, proposed that “important party and government documents should be translated into foreign languages and released simultaneously with the Chinese version.” This is a key measure for China to gain control over the discourse power and initiative in international publicity (Zhu, 2019). Before China’s discourse is misinterpreted or deliberately distorted by Westerners, Chinese translators should take the lead in telling China’s story, thereby gaining the initiative in shaping a true and positive image of China.
Publicity texts aim to enhance mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world, convey positive information and concepts, and showcase developments and achievements in various fields of China. These texts play a crucial role in enhancing the national image. When translating publicity texts, translators must possess “three consciousnesses”: accurately understanding the core meanings of both Chinese and English, deeply comprehending national policies and guidelines, and fully considering the thinking habits of the target audience (Huang, 2018). Combative discourse is typically intense, direct, and clearly positioned, effectively conveying strong messages and emotions. However, if insufficient attention is paid to the thinking and language habits of Western audiences, an overuse of combative discourse in translations may lead to misunderstandings, causing Westerners to perceive the Chinese nation as warlike. This inadvertently corroborates distorted narratives such as the “inevitable hegemony of powerful nations” and the “China threat theory,” which are detrimental to constructing a positive image of China. Taking the English translation of “一带一路(Belt and Road Initiative)” as an example, from initially using the term “strategy,” which carries military connotations, to later changing it to “initiative” was done to prevent Western readers from interpreting it as a geopolitical tool and thus developing resistance. Another instance involves President Xi Jinping’s discussion on military construction, where he mentioned the issue of “打什么仗、怎样打仗”. The translation provided is: “What war will China be called upon to fight and how should this war be fought?” The underlined part illustrates the translator’s attentiveness to detail. Imagine if the sentence had been translated as “What war will China fight and how will we fight it?” This could easily convey to readers that China prefers to initiate wars rather than respond defensively, which clearly contradicts China’s stance on peace and is adverse to shaping a positive image of China (Chen, 2020).
Accurate translation of the intrinsic meanings of combative discourse is conducive to maintaining and enhancing the national image. Conversely, inaccurate translations may have a negative impact on the national image. Therefore, when translating combative discourse, it is essential to strike the right balance: on one hand, expressing the confidence rooted in constructing one’s own discourse system; on the other hand, considering potential misunderstandings. The aim is to genuinely and fully present China’s positive, healthy, and constructive image.
3. Translation of Combative Discourse in Xi Jinping: The Governance of China IV
Xi Jinping: The Governance of China IV contains Xi Jinping’s spoken and written works from February 3, 2020 to May 10, 2022. These are organized into 21 thematic sections, comprising a total of 109 articles. By carefully comparing the Chinese and English versions, the author excluded similar expressions under the same themes that used identical translation methods, resulting in a collection of 122 instances of combative discourse and their English translations. Analysis of these translations revealed that literal translation was predominant, accounting for 75 instances, while the remaining 47 instances adopted flexible translation methods with free translation method as the main approach. Literal translation and free translation are not mutually exclusive as translation methods; the boundary between them is often difficult to define precisely because Chinese and English belong to different linguistic systems, making it impossible to achieve a one-to-one correspondence at the word or phrase level (Fang, 2012). In this article, when classifying the translation methods of the examples, distinctions between literal translation and free translation and other flexible translation methods were made based on the tendency of the translation to maintain the original meaning while preserving the linguistic structure and expression form of the source text.
The following section will provide a detailed analysis of the example sentences from different translation methods, focusing on readability, emotional response, and image conveyance. Specifically, readability will examine whether the translation is clear and easy to understand; emotional response will analyze whether the translation can evoke positive emotional resonance; and image conveyance will focus on whether the translation accurately conveys China’s positive image. Through in-depth analysis from these perspectives, the aim is to reveal the effectiveness and potential impact of different translation methods in shaping and disseminating China’s national image. The selected Chinese and English example sentences are taken from Xi Jinping: The Governance of China IV (both Chinese and English editions). For brevity, only the page numbers will be provided after the example sentences, without further citation details.
3.1. Literal Translation Method for Combative Discourse
When the contexts and thought patterns of Chinese and Western cultures are similar, or when expressing firm stances and resolutions, combative discourse often employs literal translation methods to retain its forceful character. However, in some cases, to align with English expression conventions and to avoid an overemphasis on combative language, even identical expressions may not always be translated literally.
1) 我们坚持把人民生命安全和身体健康放在第一位，全力以赴开展疫情防控工作，打响了疫情防控的人民战争、总体战、阻击战。(p. 57)
Translation: Making people’s lives and health our priority, we waged an all-out people’s war on the virus (p. 66).
Treatment of Combative Discourse: Literal translation. This sentence is excerpted from Xi Jinping’s speech at a meeting with grassroots representatives in 2020. At that time, the COVID-19 pandemic was raging globally and was seen as a common “enemy” faced by all countries. Therefore, likening the fight against the virus to a war aligns with the universal understanding of both Chinese and Western contexts. In the translation, “人民战争、总体战、阻击战” are combined into “an all-out people’s war,” which is concise, easy to understand, and fits well with English language conventions. During challenging times, placing the safety and health of the people first and resolutely combating the virus is a shared expectation of citizens for their governments worldwide. Such efforts naturally gain recognition and support from people around the globe. The translated text conveys the nation’s firm resolve to combat the pandemic, reflecting China’s image as a country that prioritizes its people and deeply cares about their health and well-being.
Additionally, besides using “war” in this context, other terms such as the nouns “battle” and “fight,” and verbs like “win,” “fight,” “prevail,” “defeat,” and “beat” were also employed throughout the translation related to the anti-pandemic efforts.
2) 我们集中精锐力量投向脱贫攻坚主战场，全国累计选派25.5万个驻村工作队、300多万名第一书记和驻村干部，同近200万名乡镇干部和数百万村干部一道奋战在扶贫一线，鲜红的党旗始终在脱贫攻坚主战场上高高飘扬。(p. 133)
Translation: We have sent our best teams to the main battlefields of the fight against poverty, assigning 255,000 work teams and more than 3 million first secretaries and officials to villages nationwide, where they worked on the front lines alongside nearly 2 million town and township officials and millions of village officials. The bright red flag of the CPC has always flown high on the main battlefields of the fight against poverty. (p. 154)
Treatment of Combative Discourse: Literal translation. This statement is from Xi Jinping’s speech at the National Conference to Review the Fight Against Poverty and Commend Outstanding Individuals and Groups in 2021. Poverty is a global challenge that has plagued the world for centuries. Eradicating poverty is a historical task faced by all humanity. Therefore, translating “poverty-stricken areas” as “battlefield” makes it understandable to Western readers and resonates with their sense of mission to eliminate poverty worldwide. The translation showcases China’s arduous journey and experience in poverty alleviation, reflecting China’s national image as a country dedicated to improving people’s well-being and contributing to global poverty reduction efforts.
Besides using “battlefield” and “fight” here, the translator also employed terms such as the nouns “battle”, “elimination”, “war”, “eradication”, and verbs “eliminate”, “win”, “eradicate” in other contexts related to poverty alleviation. Notably, the term “战场” is not always translated as “battlefield”. For example, in the sentence “科技创新成为国际战略博弈的主要战场，围绕科技制高点的竞争空前激烈。” (p. 196), In this sentence, the term “战场” is translated as “field” , with the character “战” (meaning “battle”) omitted. (p. 224) This approach of reduction weakens the combative tone.
3) 第二，深入打好污染防治攻坚战。(p. 364)
Translation: Second, we must fight a tough battle against pollution. (p. 423)
Treatment of Combative Discourse: Literal translation. This statement was made by Xi Jinping during the 29th group study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee in 2021. Preventing and controlling environmental pollution and improving the ecological environment have become a global consensus. The enormity and duration of this task can be likened to a protracted and arduous war. Therefore, translating it as “a tough battle” makes it understandable to Western readers and conveys the sense of crisis and responsibility associated with environmental pollution. The translation expresses China’s determination and actions in environmental protection, reflecting its image as a responsible major country that upholds the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and contributes to global environmental governance.
Regarding the treatment of combative discourse related to pollution prevention and control, there are instances in other parts of the book where the combative tone is reduced or eliminated through omission or free translation. For example: In “...持续打好蓝天、碧水、净土保卫战” (p. 364), the phrase “打好...保卫战” (literally “wage an effective campaign”) is omitted, and the sentence is translated liberally as “...to improve the quality of air, water, and soil.” (p. 423); In “...坚决打好...污染防治的攻坚战...” (p. 118), the phrase “打好...攻坚战” (literally “fight a tough battle”) is omitted, and the sentence is translated liberally as “...prevented and controlled pollution.” (p. 135). Similar approaches are also used in other thematic contexts: Under the theme of high-level scientific and technological development, “...坚决打赢关键核心技术攻坚战” (p. 197) omits “打赢...攻坚战” and translates liberally as “...make breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields.” (p. 226) Under the theme of coordinating development and security and preventing and defusing risks and challenges, “...打好主动仗” (p. 117) omits “打好...仗” and translates liberally as “...make preemptive moves to deal with various risks and challenges...” (p. 133)
3.2. Flexible Translation Methods for Combative Discourse
When there are contextual and cognitive differences between Chinese and Western cultures, excessive use of combative discourse can easily lead to misunderstandings. In such cases, flexible methods such as free translation or omission are used to mitigate the combative tone. Both Huang Youyi (Huang, 2004) and Liu Kuijuan (Liu, 2021) have pointed out that certain military terms in Chinese can boost morale, but in order to avoid giving Western readers the impression of being overly aggressive, it is advisable to use more peaceful vocabulary in translation.
4) 我们要抓住建党一百年这个重要节点，从具有许多新的历史特点的伟大斗争出发，总结运用党在不同历史时期成功应对风险挑战的丰富经验，做好较长时间应对外部环境变化的思想准备和工作准备，不断增强斗争意识、丰富斗争经验、提升斗争本领，不断提高治国理政能力和水平，从最坏处着眼，做最充分的准备，朝最好的方向努力，争取最好的结果。(p. 513)
Translation: Approaching the Party’s centenary, we should seize this critical opportunity to push forward the great historic struggle by grasping its new features and applying the full wealth of experience we have accumulated during different periods in countering risks and meeting challenges. We should be prepared, in both thought and deed, to respond to long-term changes in the external environment. We must reinforce our commitment, enrich our experience, and build up our ability to meet challenges head-on. While building up our governance capacity, we must have plans in place for the worst possible scenarios as we strive for the best results. (p. 597)
Treatment of Combative Discourse: Free translation and omission. This paragraph is taken from Xi Jinping’s speech at the preparatory meeting for the education campaign on CPC history in 2021. The context primarily discusses how to address various domestic and international risks and challenges facing China’s development. Therefore, the object of “斗争” refers to internal and external risks and challenges. The original text contains four instances of “斗争”. Except for the first instance, which is directly translated as “struggle”, the remaining three instances are not translated. There are significant differences between the histories, organizational forms, and governing systems of Chinese and Western political parties. The Communist Party of China has had to contend with various risks and challenges during different historical periods, and these differences and facts may not be fully understood by Western audiences. Therefore, the translator opted to omit the latter three instances of “斗争”. To make the meaning clearer, an additional explanation was added at the fourth instance, specifying that the enhanced capability refers to the ability to meet challenges. This approach avoids any potential misinterpretation by Western readers that Chinese people are inherently combative or confrontational. A more neutral translation helps foster trust among Western readers regarding China and its ruling party and accurately portrays China’s proactive stance in addressing challenges and striving for progress.
The term “斗争” appears multiple times throughout this book, with varying translations including nouns such as “fray”, “fight”, “battle”, “war”, “campaign”, and verbs like “fight”, “combat”, “prevail”, “defeat”, as well as instances of free translation and omission.
5) 经过几代人的接续奋斗，我们即将全面建成小康社会、完成脱贫攻坚任务、实现第一个百年奋斗目标，从明年起将开始向第二个百年奋斗目标进军。(p. 119)
Translation: Through generations of hard work, we are now very close to the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and to eradicating absolute poverty. We will embark on our journey towards the Second Centenary Goal next year. (p. 136)
Treatment of Combative Discourse: Free translation. This sentence is taken from Xi Jinping’s speech at the second full assembly of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee in 2020. In the Chinese context, the phrase “向...进军” conveys a strong sense of determination. However, foreign readers may not fully understand its connotation, as the Second Centenary Goal represents a new phase of development rather than an object to be conquered. A direct translation such as “march towards...” might be misinterpreted by international readers unfamiliar with Chinese history or context as having a strong military connotation, leading to a perception of tension or conflict. To align with the cultural background and reading habits of the target audience, the translator opted for free translation, rendering “向...进军” as “embark on our journey towards...”. This approach retains the original meaning and spirit while avoiding cultural misunderstandings. It allows Western readers to perceive the spirit of continuous endeavor in China, while also presenting China as a country dedicated to the welfare of its people and actively fulfilling its mission.
Furthermore, there are instances where “向...进军” is literally translated when describing specific challenges. For example, “...信心百倍向着脱贫攻坚的最后胜利进军。” (p. 127) is translated as “...march with full confidence towards the final victory in the battle against poverty.” (p. 146). Poverty, being a universal enemy and a concrete challenge, can be more intuitively expressed through a direct translation like “march...towards...”, effectively conveying the government’s resolve to overcome difficulties and achieve success.
6) 相反，只有豁得出去、敢闯敢干、下定“明知山有虎，偏向虎山行”的决心，真刀真枪干，矛盾和困难才可能得到解决。(p. 530)
Translation: Problems will only be solved when you have the courage and determination to invest in real effort and take risks, knowing the danger but still forging ahead. (p. 616)
Treatment of Combative Discourse: Free translation and omission. This sentence is taken from Xi Jinping’s speech at the opening ceremony of a training program for younger officials at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) during its 2021 fall semester. The content teaches young and middle-aged cadres to boldly and resolutely undertake tasks that benefit the Party and the people, without shirking difficulties or responsibilities. The phrase “真刀真枪干” is a common Chinese expression meaning to work earnestly and not just go through the motions. Due to the different cultural backgrounds, Western readers may not fully grasp the deeper meaning of such expressions. Directly translating “刀” and “枪” might lead Western readers to associate them with weapons used on the battlefield, thus deviating from the original intent and causing misunderstandings. The translation uses the verb phrases “invest in real effort” and “take risks” which clarify the true meaning of the original text and remove any barriers to understanding. The translation showcases China’s pragmatic and responsible national image, allowing Western readers to appreciate the Chinese spirit of fearlessly facing challenges and working diligently, thereby gaining insights and inspiration.
In summary, through the analysis of the English translations of 122 instances of combative discourse, it was observed that when addressing global issues such as poverty eradication, epidemic control, and ecological environmental protection, translations predominantly employ literal translation methods to underscore a firm attitude and clear position. For other topics, however, more flexible translation approaches are frequently utilized to adapt to the cultural background of the target audience. The author evaluated the performance of different translation methods in three critical areas: readability, emotional response, and image conveyance. It was found that the choice of translation method is influenced by several factors, including the context of the original text, cultural differences between the source and target languages, the purpose of translation, anticipated reader responses, and so on. The implementation of various translation methods impacts the transmission of the original message, thereby influencing the construction of the national image.
High-quality translations can bridge cultural differences between China and other countries, reduce misunderstandings, and accurately convey a positive national image to the international community. Conversely, poor-quality translations may lead to misinterpretations or conflicts. For example, when Xi Jinping hosted the 32nd group study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee in 2021, he mentioned: “要坚持以战领建...做好军事斗争准备... “(p. 380). If translated directly as “to prepare forces for the military action...”, Western readers might mistakenly believe that China is continuously preparing for military conflict, leading to unnecessary suspicion. The translation in the book reads “to prepare forces for the possibility of military action...” (p. 442), which softens the tone by adding “the possibility of”, indicating that China does not intend to initiate unwarranted military actions but is prepared to effectively safeguard national security and stability when necessary. In political publicity texts, cases of misunderstanding due to improper translation are not uncommon. For instance, the phrase “韬光养晦” (keep a low profile) was once translated as “hide our capabilities and bide our time”, leading to accusations that China was deliberately concealing its military strength and strategic intentions, which negatively impacted China’s diplomatic image (Lu, 2013). Another example comes from The Hundred Year Marathon, where “战国” (Warring States period) was literally translated as “Warring States”, causing Western readers to misunderstand that China views international relations through a war-oriented mindset, thereby damaging China’s image (Xie, 2019).
Political publicity translation expert Chen Mingming, in an interview, pointed out that in the translation of political documents for international publicity, ensuring the accuracy of the translation is crucial. Translators must remain as faithful to the original text as possible, fully conveying its meaning without sacrificing accuracy for the sake of convenience in English expression. Under this premise, if necessary, English expressions can be appropriately flexible to enhance the readability and acceptability of the translation (Zhou, 2020). This provides guiding principles for translators in selecting translation methods. Combative discourse, characterized by its intense emotional tone and clear stance, requires even greater attention to detail and caution during translation. In addition to adhering to the aforementioned principles, translators must comprehensively grasp the source text’s information, the cultural background of the target language, and the nuances of translation methods. They should also pay close attention to word choice and tone differences to ensure the accuracy of the translation and the effective conveyance of a positive national image. This highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity in translation and places higher demands on the comprehensive capabilities of translators.
4. Conclusion
This paper analyzed the methods of translating combative discourse in Xi Jinping: The Governance of China IV and the role of these translations in constructing the national image. Through observations of the translation of combative discourse in the corpus, it was found that literal translation is the primary method. However, to avoid excessive use of combative language, more accurately convey the original meaning, or adapt to the cultural background of the target audience, translators also employ free translation, omission, and other techniques to soften the combative tone of the original text. If publicity texts contain too much combative discourse, they may give Western readers an impression of bellicosity and provide justification or basis for unfavorable remarks about China from Western societies, which could affect the construction of a positive international image for China.
The translation and dissemination of international publicity texts such as Xi Jinping: The Governance of China represent an effective approach for China to shape its own image and help change the passive situation where China’s image has been defined by Western countries. Currently, China faces a complex and ever-changing international situation and public opinion environment. When translating publicity discourse, especially strongly worded combative discourse, translators must fully consider the historical, contemporary, and cognitive differences between China and the West, deeply understand the connotations and spirit of the original text, and carefully choose their wording to avoid inappropriate translations that might arouse readers’ doubts, prejudices, or even confrontational sentiments. Translators should adopt language that aligns with Western readers’ understanding and acceptance habits, effectively disseminating China’s voice and playing a significant role in constructing a positive, truthful, and multi-dimensional image of China.
Future research could further explore how cross-cultural communication training can enhance translators’ cultural sensitivity and translation skills. By integrating cross-cultural theories with practical applications, translators’ understanding of diverse cultures can be strengthened. In specialized fields such as the translation of political texts, targeted training programs that combine translation techniques with ethical education should be developed. This aims to improve translators’ overall competence to meet the challenges of cross-cultural communication and better serve the international dissemination of the national image.