NANNING — China has launched the first audio-to-audio translation software for the language of Zhuang, China’s most populous ethnic minority.

The software, available on both computers and mobile phones, can simultaneously interpret between Mandarin and Zhuang, according to its developer the China Ethnic Languages Translation Bureau.

It was launched on Nov 28 in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region during the release of a series of Zhuang language-related software, including an audio-to-text converter and a Mandarin-Zhuang text translator.

“The software aims to facilitate communication in life and raise work efficiency, including on collation of ancient texts,” said Li Xulian, deputy head of the bureau.

With a population of about 17 million people, the Zhuang ethnic group mainly inhabits Southern China.

The China Ethnic Languages Translation Bureau, a national-level ethnic languages translation institute, has developed translation apps and programs for China’s seven ethnic languages, including Mongolian, Tibetan, Uygur, Kazakh, Korean, Yi and Zhuang.