RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - A regional push to strengthen cross-cultural communication and academic collaboration gained momentum with the launch of the ASEAN Association of Translation, Interpreting and Communication at Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) on Saturday, April 18, 2026.

The launch was conducted during the opening of a China-ASEAN conference on translation and communication, which brought together more than 30 academics from 20 universities across eight countries, including representatives from Indonesia.

The event was held to discuss key issues such as cross-cultural dialogue, innovation in translator education in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), and translation practices and markets.

Xiamen University Vice Rector Wu Chaopeng said the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Action Plan 2026-2030 provides clear direction for deepening cooperation.

“Xiamen University will continue to leverage its academic strengths to support cultural exchange and collaborative innovation between China and ASEAN,” Wu said in a statement on Sunday, April 19, as quoted by Antara.

Alliance Chair and Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Xiamen University, Chen Jing, said the initiative aims to develop professionals with global perspectives, bilingual competence, and regional expertise. The alliance will facilitate joint research, faculty and student exchanges, and academic publications.

Representatives from Malaysia’s Institute of Language and Literature (DBP), Dato' Mohd Anwar Ridhwan, and Vietnam National University Hanoi academic Lam Quang Dong agreed that strengthening language communication and people-to-people exchanges would reinforce the social and cultural foundations of China-ASEAN cooperation.

Meanwhile, Gadjah Mada University lecturer Sajarwa Sukiyo described the conference as highly beneficial for the translation field and encouraged concrete international collaboration, including faculty and student exchanges and joint online lectures.

He also proposed establishing a China-ASEAN translator qualification standard involving Indonesia in developing the framework.

According to Sajarwa, as ASEAN’s largest economy and a key partner in the Belt and Road initiative, Indonesia should take a more active role in diplomacy, economic, educational, and academic cooperation through the alliance.

“Many Indonesians still associate China only with trade and technology. Cross-cultural communication will broaden that understanding,” he said. ***