In 2022, Chin Communications celebrates 30 years of great communications. After all these years, we’re proud to be Australia’s leading Chinese language specialists.
Australian businesses, organisations, and governments needed a clear, effective voice to speak to the Chinese market, so we came along. That was 3 decades ago.
We’ve faced some significant tests along the way including coronavirus and Australia-China political tensions. We’ve kept clear heads and guided our clients through the challenges. We continue to stand by our clients to help them keep their Chinese relationships strong.
In the year when Australia is celebrating 50 years of Diplomatic Relations with China, there has never been a more important time to pay attention to communications and keep in touch with customers, stakeholders and partners.
Chin Communications’ success is reflected in our trade with China which rose from around $90 million in 1992 to $245 billion and the number one position. China has driven the growth of Australia’s economy and helped us avoid many crises along the way, like the GFC. Chinese students and tourists, for example, have helped these sectors boom.
Underpinning this growth, Chin Communications proves the importance of getting the language right in order to achieve long term success, whether in Mandarin interpreting for meetings or ensuring accurate and culturally appropriate translations and Chinese content marketing.
1973
China and Australia sign their first trade agreement valued at $113 million.
1978
Deng Xiaoping, then leader of the People’s Republic of China, famously proclaims: “It doesn’t matter the colour of the cat, as long as it catches mice”, introducing market-oriented reforms. This would be the start of China’s mighty economic rise.
The 1980s
China’s “coming of age” – a period that saw a series of sweeping political, economic, and cultural changes.
1992
Chin Communications is born, answering a need to build bridges between Australia and China. We started as a Chinese translation and interpreting company, with a mission to help Australian businesses get into the China market, and setting up offices at 20 Queen Street, Melbourne.
1993
Our hard work pays off. Chin Communications makes our mark in the industry due to our understanding of both Australian and Chinese institutions, systems, and business protocols. We work with organisations to bridge the gap through accurate communications and by adopting the most apt technology available at the time. Read about our services.
1996
We move offices to 459 Little Collins Street, Melbourne.
1998
Chin relocates to 160 Queen Street, Melbourne.
2001
China becomes a member of the World Trade Organization.
2002
Chin Communications celebrates a successful decade. We also launch our Chinese design and typesetting services to the public. It started with the translation and typesetting of Chinese business cards, before steadily expanding to also provide multimedia production, website localisation, and Chinese branding.
2003
We move offices to 350 Collins Street, Melbourne, making this home for the next 8 years.
2007
China surpasses Japan as Australia’s number one trading partner.
2008
We watch with awe as the Olympic torch in Beijing is lit. The date is 8 August 2008 – chosen because the number 8 is considered to be auspicious by the Chinese.
2010
China hosts the World Trade Expo.
2011
Chin moves into its own tailor-made offices at 221 Queen Street, Melbourne, to accommodate a growing team.
2012
We establish the Chin Communications Masters Scholarship for Mandarin-English Interpreters at Monash University on our 20th birthday.
2013
Chin Communications wins the Excellence in Interpreting Award from the Australian Institute of Interpreters & Translators for our Mandarin interpreting on the Dairy Australia Scholarship Program. We also earn ‘Highly Commended’ status from the Melbourne3000+ Awards.
2014
We welcome more than 20 years of achievements with a rebrand of our identity. The new logo is derived from the ancient seal script – a style of calligraphy crafted with handmade tools reminiscent of the Qin Dynasty (221–207 BC) – and the brand’s creator, Design by Bird, is shortlisted for the Create Design Awards in the Identity category. Read more about the Chin logo.
In other news, China overtakes the US as the world’s largest economy (by purchasing power parity), and shows no signs of slowing down.
2015
Australia and China negotiate a Free Trade Agreement. Australia-China two-way trade is valued at over $150 billion. Chin has been involved since the first round of negotiations in 2005.
2016
Charles Qin OAM, Managing Director & Chief Interpreter, awarded the medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for ‘services to international relations, particularly through translation and interpreting’.
Chin establishes a base in Sydney to service a growing client list.
Chin started its marketing services for clients in the China space.
2017
We won the Business 3000+ Award in the International category.
Chin was Runner Up in the Melbourne Awards 2017 Contribution to Multiculturalism by a Corporation Award.
Received 25-plus year’s awards in the Lord Mayor’s Commendations.
Took a major step in 2017 to a purpose-built office in the centre of Melbourne. A new-look office to set us up for our next 25 years!
We hosted our 25th Anniversary Gala in July to celebrate the Grand 25.
2018
Chin was the winner of Melbourne Awards 2018 Contribution to Multiculturalism by a Corporation Award.
Chin’s Interpreting Team received the industry’s highest honour for its work with ANZSOG and the high-level training program delivered to Chinese leaders in Simultaneous Interpreting mode over almost a decade – AUSIT Excellence Award for Excellence in Interpreting.
2019
The prestigious Ethnic Business Awards saw Charles Qin and Chin Communications on the stage again as Finalist in the Small Business Category.
Recognising the contribution that migrants have made to our society, Charles reflected on the important work Chin does in supporting small businesses as well as being involved in the most significant events in the China-Australia space. He’s worked with many prime ministers as an interpreter and was delighted to share the stage with PM Scott Morrison (in English).
2020-2021
Coronavirus and challenges in the Australia-China relationship have dominated the news, but we’ve kept up our services for clients wanting to keep in touch with their Chinese customers. We’ve found solutions to help keep the lines of communication open with China, in particular social media and WeChat management and copywriting, as well as remote interpreting for meetings and events, while mastering the zoom medium for court hearings and trials.
2022
In the year when Australia and China mark 50 years of diplomatic relations, the Chinese ‘whisperers’, Chin Communications, celebrate 30 years providing support to prime ministers, businesses and organisations developing relationships and business with China.
Chin Communications has been behind the scenes on many historic activities from presidential visits to free trade agreement negotiations – providing interpreting and translation services and, in 2016 opened up a new complementary division offering Chinese marketing and social media services to our clients. Despite Covid, our marketing division has shown remarkable growth over the last 3 years in particular, reinforcing our confidence in the Chinese market.
Thirty years on, the China story is still going strong.