Last updated on June 13th, 2023 at 08:12 pm

Top 5 Language Markets
Chinese Language

As the most populated country in the world, the fact that ecommerce is big in China comes as no surprise. Recent news has shown a slowdown in China’s economy, but its e-commerce sector will likely remain one of the biggest agents of economic growth. Among the factors that have impacted China’s strong e-commerce trend is the availability and advancement of Internet technology, which opens up cross border-purchasing opportunities for Chinese shoppers. This has resulted in efforts by companies worldwide to reach the Chinese demographic with translated Chinese websites.

Apart from Internet technology, other areas open up fantastic opportunities to reach the Chinese demographic:

Chinese Language Opportunities in Education

Having numerous acquaintances in China, I can attest to the fact that the dream of obtaining higher education in America is one that dwells in the minds of many Chinese students.  We at JR Language have been able to aid these bright and ambitious students in their college application process by providing them certified Chinese translations of their Diplomas, Transcripts, and Degree Certificates.  Based on data from the Institute of International Education, this dream has been fully realized in great numbers year after year, as shown in the diagram to the right:                                

Universities and Colleges have an opportunity to reach and attract these students with marketing translations of their website, syllabi, and other academic materials. For international students, a website is a powerful first impression of the schools they are interested in applying to. By properly translating and localizing web content, prospective students’ first impressions will lead them to learn more about the school.  For Chinese students who have already begun their studies in the United States, having Chinese translations of course material makes academic content more accessible and helps ease their learning environment. 

Chinese Translations for Patents

Since 2011, China has accounted for the largest number of patent applications received by any IP office.

With the slowing of China’s economy, innovation efforts are being pushed to the forefront as a new source for growth.  Late last year Chinese authorities rolled out policies supporting high-tech companies and encouraged investment in research and development.  Innovation was made one of five key concepts of development for the 2016-2020 period. (Source: https://www.china.org.cn/business/2016-01/15/content_37582428.htm).

With ambitious innovation plans in place in a region that is already a global leader in patent application, we can expect the number of Chinese patents to continue to rise in the next few years.  This will make Chinese translations of patents a crucial consideration.  The importance of translating patents was introduced in our previous blog post, What You Need To Know About Translating Patents, which cautioned the risk of patent infringement, and rejection as a result of failure to translate.  

The European Patent Office (EPO) sent a strong message about the importance of patent translations   with the implementation of a machine translation service called “Patent Translate.” This tool can provide a rough idea of a patent, or patent related document, but the EPO website states a warning on its usage. They warn: “The machine translation should give you the gist of any patent or patent-related document, and help you to determine whether it is relevant. You might decide on this basis whether you need to invest in a human translation of the document.  Please note that the engine cannot provide legally binding translations.”

“Patent Translate” is a machine translation service specifically “trained” to handle patent specific grammar and vocabulary. It is important to understand that this will not replace the human translation of patents, which involves revision and research that the machine can not provide.

The future of Chinese innovation is looking bright.  You can protect yourself and Chinese patentees and inventors by utilizing both Chinese Translations and English Translation services to assure you are not unintentionally infringing on someone else’s idea.  On the other side of the spectrum, if you plan to file in a patent office in China, an accurate Chinese Translation of your patent application will assure a smooth sailing application process.

Chinese Translation for Tourism

“China’s tourists are coming to a country near you- with open wallets.”

This clever WSJ headline is expected to hold true for years.  Travel numbers from China are growing and are expected to double from 100 million to 234 million passengers by 2020. Even more impressive is the spending of Chinese tourists this past year, which totaled at $229 billion USD.

While Hong Kong has long been a preferred destination for Chinese tourists due to cultural similarity, more of these tourists have been choosing other destinations in the past 2 years.  Below, are the most popular destinations for Chinese travelers outside of Asia:

1. Europe (97% increase in last 4 years)
2. North America (151% increase)
3. Middle East (177% increase)

The growing number of Chinese tourists combined with their increased spending habits, provides valuable opportunities for hotels, parks, and recreational areas to offer optimal services to this valuable market.  One of the most effective ways of providing great services is to ensure that tourism firms can communicate effectively with Chinese tourists.  Providing accurate Chinese translations of tourism material including websites, signage, brochures, and weather warnings is just the beginning of enhancing the travel experience of Chinese tourists. 

China- Overall, Still a Strong Market

The slowing of China’s economy has dominated the news as of late, and there is no denying that it is a great cause for concern for investors around the world.  However, you will find there are still tremendous opportunities to connect with the Chinese market.  The desire for innovation, education, and experience of new and exciting cultures remain strong in an economic slowdown. 

With the help of Chinese translation services, we can create welcoming education experiences for Chinese students, positive trips for Chinese tourists, and offer patent applicants processes that are based on integrity and respect.