| Over 25 Million Foreigners Learn Chinese
More and more foreign learners are showing interest in the
Chinese language, numbering more than 25 million globally,
according to a source with the third "Chinese Bridge"
world undergraduate Chinese competition. A Chinese learning
upsurge is seen in many European, American and Asian countries
today, said one of the people in charge of the competition
here Friday.
In Japan, there are more than one million Chinese learners
while in France some 100 middle schools have opened the Chinese
course with the students numbering more than 8,000.
Along with China's steady development and rising international
status, he said, the Chinese language has increasingly drawn
the attention of governments and all circles in foreign countries.
China's entry into the WTO in late 2001 and its successful
bid for the 2008 Olympics brought about a growing number of
foreign Chinese learners, especially from the economics field.
He said that in 2003, 60,000 overseas students furthered
their studies in China as Chinese majors. The HSK -- Chinese
level test -- had established exam sites in 87 cities of 35
countries, and so far 330,000 foreigners had taken the tests.
The Chinese government has also sent 140 Chinese teachers
to 62countries and in 2004, more than 100 volunteer teachers
have been dispatched abroad for Chinese teaching.
Chinese Grows in Popularity Worldwide
China's growing affluence has led to the unprecedented popularity
of the Chinese language, nearly 25 million foreigners are
currently studying it aboard, eastday.com reported today.
The nations' successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games and
entry to the World Trade Organization has beefed up its profile
worldwide. According to approximate statistics, more than
2,100 universities from 85 countries have introduced courses
in Chinese.
China is to introduce exams in specialized Chinese for areas
such as business affairs, administration and tourism.
The Chinese government has invested substantially in popularizing
Chinese around the world, planning to compile Chinese teaching
material for foreign countries.
A growing number of elementary and middle schools in foreign
countries are introducing Chinese to the curriculum and China
plans to build Chinese centers in several foreign countries.
Foreign students from 114 countries signed up to study Chinese
via Internet.
Chinese Language Getting Popular in World
The Chinese language will likely play an increasingly important
role in Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation, senior officials
said.
Reducing the language barrier among more and more people allows
for better cultural understanding between China and the world,
and helps facilitate peace, said Xu Jialu, vice-chairman of
the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).
Xu delivered his remarks Friday at the opening of the Seventh
International Symposium on Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language,
a leading academic event worldwide.
The event is held every three years. This year's event is
the largest in its 17-year history.
It has attracted 450 scholars and experts from 38 countries
and regions worldwide. The attendants will engage in extensive
discussions on linguistic theories, second language acquisition,
cross-cultural communication, Chinese language teaching material
and language testing.
Because China's rapid social and economic development is
linked to its further opening to the outside world, Chinese
language and culture are becoming increasingly appealing to
people worldwide.
Ministry of Education statistics show that 25 million people
worldwide are now learning Chinese, and 2,100 universities
in 85 countries and regions are offering Chinese language
courses.
Statistics also show that more than 60,000 students from
abroad are now studying in China, including 45,000 concentrating
on the Chinese language alone.
China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and
landing of the bid to host the 2008 Olympics has helped the
country get noticed worldwide.
Chinese language teachers will soon be in record demand,
experts said.
"We have spared no effort to promote the Chinese language
worldwide,'' said Jiang Mingbao, deputy director-general of
the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language
(NOCFL), a state-level overseer of the field.
NOCFL's major undertakings include compiling quality teaching
material and offering professional training for teachers at
home and abroad, Jiang said.
In the past, people learned Chinese to better understand
the Chinese culture. But a growing number of people are now
mastering the language to make them more attractive in the
job market, Jiang said.
Even so, tough challenges remain, experts said.
About 6,000 people teach Chinese as a foreign language, but
only 2,000 of them have a professional certificate.
How to better teach the language to refute the widely held
belief that it is too difficult is the biggest obstacle, said
Lu Bisong, a senior scholar.
Chinese Grows in Popularity Worldwide
China's growing affluence has led to the unprecedented popularity
of the Chinese language, nearly 25 million foreigners are
currently studying it aboard, eastday.com reported today.
The nations' successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games and
entry to the World Trade Organization has beefed up its profile
worldwide. According to approximate statistics, more than
2,100 universities from 85 countries have introduced courses
in Chinese.
China is to introduce exams in specialized Chinese for areas
such as business affairs, administration and tourism.
The Chinese government has invested substantially in popularizing
Chinese around the world, planning to compile Chinese teaching
material for foreign countries.
A growing number of elementary and middle schools in foreign
countries are introducing Chinese to the curriculum and China
plans to build Chinese centers in several foreign countries.
Foreign students from 114 countries signed up to study Chinese
via Internet.
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