The Macao Polytechnic Institute says it has begun publishing a new series of five textbooks on translation and interpretation from Chinese to Portuguese, with a view to Macao turning out more workers proficient in both languages.

The institute announced in writing on Tuesday that it has published four of the textbooks so far, and is due to publish the fifth in the middle of this year.

The books cover the theory and practice of translation, Portuguese literature and Chinese traditional medicine, the institute says.

Its announcement says academics at the Macao Polytechnic Institute School of Languages and Translation wrote the books.

The textbooks are a valuable resource for Macao students of translation and interpretation from Chinese to Portuguese, who are learning skills that have been in growing demand in recent years, according to the institute.

The books will raise the standard of the education in languages and translation offered in Macao, the Macao Polytechnic Institute says.