The Fifth China-Malaysia International Conference on Translation, Language and Culture was held at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) from May 22 to 23.

The conference, themed “Malay Studies in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, was a collaborative effort between BFSU and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) with support from Malaysia’s Institute of Language and Literature (DBP) and the Education Section of the Embassy of Malaysia in China.

Zhao Gang (L), a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, attends the Fifth China-Malaysia International Conference on Translation, Language and Culture. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The event aimed to explore the evolving applications of AI in Malay studies while promoting multifaceted academic and cultural exchanges between China and Malaysia. It welcomed over 90 experts and scholars from China, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and the United States.

Zhao Gang, a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, delivered a welcome address at the opening ceremony. The conference sought to pool wisdom from both China and Malaysia to chart an innovative course for Malay studies in the new era, Zhao said. He highlighted the deepening cooperation between the two countries, especially in education, noting the fruitful partnerships between BFSU and several Malaysian universities.

Jasni Sulong, dean of the School of Humanities at USM, Datuk Azlinda Azman, director-general of higher education at Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education, and Dato’ Norman Muhamad, ambassador of Malaysia to China, also gave speeches.

During the seminar, Hazami Jahari, director-general of the DBP, shared his insights in his keynote speech “AI Applications in the Global Dissemination of Malay Language and Literature”. He explored AI’s pivotal role in enhancing the international reach of Malay language and literature. Additionally, Hiroki Nomoto, an associate professor at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, shared recent research results concerning the development of Malay language teaching materials in the AI era, offering new perspectives and approaches for second-language acquisition of the Malay language.

Officials pose for a photo with students from BFSU’s Malay language program and Malaysian students at the university. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The conference accepted 74 academic papers from scholars representing eight countries, namely China, Malaysia, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Brunei. In three parallel sessions, participants engaged in lively discussions on a wide range of topics, including translation, linguistics, culture and philosophy, education, literature and art, history, politics and sociology.

During the plenary forum, Su Yingying, dean of the School of Asian Studies at BFSU, offered a presentation titled “China–Malaysia Educational and Cultural Relations: Review and Outlook”. Khairudin Aljunied, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore, spoke on “Malay Studies from an Interdisciplinary Perspective: Past, Present and Future”.

The Fifth China-Malaysia International Conference on Translation, Language and Culture is held at BFSU from May 22 to 23. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The conference highlighted discussions on strengthening regional cooperation in Malay studies, where experts and scholars presented a range of constructive proposals for deepening China-Malaysia collaboration in this field.