The slogan 敢于斗争 (gǎnyú dòuzhēng) has become increasingly prevalent within official discourse in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). When translated into English, it is generally rendered in one of two ways: “dare to fight” or “dare to struggle.”1 One can find the former “dare to fight” translation employed of late by multiple high-profile authors and outlets writing for English-speaking audiences. For instance, a recent Foreign Affairs essay uses this “dare to fight” translation as evidence for the claim that “Chinese leader Xi Jinping says he is preparing for war.” The Financial Times also spotlights Xi’s use of this phrase, with the headline of a recent article reading “‘Dare to Fight’: Xi Jinping Unveils China’s New World Order.” The “dare to fight” translation makes an abundance of other appearances as well, in articles from the New York Times, Reuters, and the Independent, to cite just a few. Even the PRC’s own official mouthpiece, the Xinhua News Agency, has rendered 敢于斗争 (gǎnyú dòuzhēng) as “have the courage to carry on our fight” (original Chinese here).
Dare to Fight or Dare to Struggle? Translation of a Chinese Political Concept -
May 8, 2023 BY Todd Hall and Xiaoyu Pu - https://interpret.csis.org/dare-to-fight-or-dare-to-struggle-translation-of-a-chinese-political-concept/?fbclid=IwAR0w4gbdNRMFJcRrEoBI2jKq7ng-9Rdt_Lmba1kXk21fiJGvCLwtY_aD61E
Professor of International Relations; Director, University of Oxford China Centre, University of Oxford
Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Nevada, Reno
Photo Credit: Daniel Suchenski