Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office has taken multiple measures to support Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA) in improving its language environment. It formulated policies and standards for foreign language signs, inspected the follow-up work, and coordinated resources to solve existing problems, helping BDA achieve "zero error" and further improve the international language environment in the area.

On September 29, Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office conducted a special inspection on the BDA's foreign language signs. Given the features of BDA, the office selected key public places for transportation, accommodation, exhibition, office spaces, and government services, such as the Foreign Service Hall of the Government Service Center of Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, the Government Affairs Hall, Beijing Etrong International Exhibition & Convention Center, Wanyuan Jie Subway Station, Zhaolin Grand Hotel, and Boda Building. The team checked more than 200 foreign language signs, detected a few language errors, and provided correct translations for subsequent rectification.

On-site inspection of foreign language signs

After the on-site inspection, Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and the Business Cooperation Bureau of the BDA held a discussion on further improving the international language environment of the area.

In the afternoon, Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office invited Dai Manchun, member of the municipal expert advisory group, the national and local foreign language sign standard setter, and professor of Beijing Foreign Studies University, to give a lecture on the application of standards for foreign language signs. Relevant staff from Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office explained how to implement the Regulations of Beijing Municipality on the Management of Foreign Language Signs in Public Places and how to carry out the work of standardizing foreign language signs. More than 40 people from the competent departments of various industries in the BDA and exhibition enterprises, hotels, hospitals, schools and other relevant institutions attended the training. They said that the training was detailed and informative, which closely met the needs of the BDA's economic development. It not only helps the primary-level units better understand the policies and standards for the management of foreign language signs, but also provides guidance on "who should do the next step of work" and "how to do it".

Training on standardizing foreign language signs by experts

Next, Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office will continue to share good examples, use cases, and academic resources to help BDA improve the international service environment and become a model for "zero error" in foreign language signs.