The launch ceremony was held in Beijing on Saturday for a book release, A Concise history of the Communist Party of China, in multiple languages including Russian, French, Spanish, German, Arabic and Italian. Photo: Courtesy of Central Compilation and Translation Press

A ceremony was held in Beijing on Saturday to mark the release of A Concise history of the Communist Party of China in multiple languages including Russian, French, Spanish, German, Arabic and Italian, commemorating the 102nd anniversary of the CPC's founding. 

A Concise history of the Communist Party of China was published in English on July 1, 2021. The content of the book is consistent with the Chinese version, which succinctly describes the extraordinary achievements and experiences of the CPC over the past century as it led the Chinese people and steered China toward national rejuvenation, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Published by the Central Compilation and Translation Press (CCTP), the multilingual editions of the book are gifts for the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the CPC, Xi Weidong, President and Chief Editor of CCTP, said at the ceremony.

He added that it was the meticulous efforts of contributing experts and scholars in translating the text, together with the editorial team that made the successful publication of the new editions a reality. 

Li Xiaoyan, a director from CCTP who was responsible for the whole project, told the Global Times on Saturday that about 20 foreign experts participated in the translation and editing of the books. The translation work started after the English version was published in 2021. It took nearly one year to complete all translation work, and about half a year in finishing the editing work. The edition in multiple languages is translated according to the Chinese edition, and some terms have been annotated for a better understanding for the readers overseas.

"Unlike some books published by publishing houses overseas that may have misunderstandings and even inherent prejudices about the CPC, A Concise history of the Communist Party of China offers authentic, valuable, and authoritative firsthand translated materials," she said, adding that the book can be purchased through multiple channels including international book fairs such as the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's largest trade fair for books. 

Overseas distribution of the book will be largely through professional channels including China International Book Trading Corporation and China National Publications Import and Export (Group) Co., Ltd.

"The English version is selling well and has been reprinted many times," Li said.

Both believe that the publication of these foreign editions is of great significance in telling the story of the CPC and China to the outside world, presenting the reliable, amiable and respectable image of China, and at the same time, improving its affinity, appeal and influence.

A translator for the Russian edition told the Global Times that he was very interested in learning the history of CPC, and participating in the translation work is an "honor" for him and helped him deeper the understanding of the CPC.

"I believe the book could make a great contribution to the development of the communist movement in the world because if they want to know the future of communism, they need to know its history including the history of the CPC," he said.

Hu Baomin, president of Chinese magazine China Today who attended the ceremony, told the Global Times on Saturday that when communicating with politicians and scholars from developing countries such as Egypt, Brazil and Turkey, he found that they were interested in understanding how CPC with so many members guided 1.4 billion Chinese people to become the world's second largest economy.

He pointed out with China's increased international strength, people worldwide want to know the country and the CPC more than ever, and the book is a useful platform to allow foreign readers to see how the CPC has demonstrated the brilliant achievements of the sinicization of Marxism through its wonderful century-old development.

Li Ping, deputy director of the Bureau of Foreign Cooperation and Exchange of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, echoed that this work can provide the international community with a better understanding of the development, innovative theories, and practices of the CPC, allowing them to grasp the spiritual outlook of the Chinese Communists and Chinese people.