Chinese female translator at China-US talks showing ‘her power’ applauded by Chinese netizens

Zhang Jing/File Photo

Chinese translator Zhang Jing has earned a lot of fans on Chinese social media following her solid performance and accurate translation at the high-level China-US meeting in Alaska on Friday, leading to applause for the Chinese female diplomatic personnel taking part in the mission.

The highlight of Zhang's interpretation came when she smoothly translated several speeches by the Chinese delegation that were more than 10 minutes long fluently and accurately into English, which earned her applause and respect from netizens, including many majoring in interpretation.

Zhang, who graduated from China Foreign Affairs University, has been praised on Chinese social media for "fully showing the elegant demeanor of China's diplomats in the new era."

A photo with the hashtag "she is the on-site translator at high-level China-US talks" has gone viral on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo with views surpassing 400 million.

According to a media interview with Zhang's high school teacher, Zhang had been capable to enter top Chinese universities like Peking University and Tsinghua University, but she chose to go to China Foreign Affairs University to one day serve her country at the ministry of foreign affairs.

"Zhang Jing helped convey China's voice to the world through her specialty; and compared to the US translator, she performed far better. She also showed 'her power' of Chinese women," one netizen commented on Sina Weibo.

Compliments for female diplomatic staff also extended to other diplomats such as Hua Chunying.

"I think the women who have appeared in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recent years are wonderful. They have presented China's image on the international diplomatic stage and have increased China's reputation with their talents," another Sina Weibo user wrote.

Zhang's experience inspired many students majoring in interpretation.

"I also want to use my specialty to contribute to my country's diplomacy and I will go on improving myself," a junior college student in Beijing majoring in translation told the Global Times on Sunday.