The phenomenon and background of global “Chinese upsurge”

Newly released TIME said the English was the leading popular language in the 20 century while in the 21 century Chinese takes up the advantageous place. Nowadays many people around the world are engaged in the rush of learning Chinese.

On Feb.21, the International Mother Tongue Day, we interviewed correlative people in charge from Country Teaching Chinese As A Foreign Language Leading Group, abroad reporter from each country, as well as the linguistics experts to ask for explanation based on the following questions: What position is Chinese occupying in the world languages at present? How about the situation of other nation studying Chinese? What trouble will be shown in spreading Chinese?

Why do we love Chinese?

Argentina
Nicolas: It is a challenge to learn a language completely different with one’s mother tongue.

Spain
Kairo: I always think Chinese men are handsome. I will study Chinese hard in order to work in European Union in the Beijing office after graduation.

Zhou An: I like Chinese philosophy, Kong Zi, Lao Zi. But Zhuang Zi is my favorite.

Lin Xiaozhen: After graduation, my father pushes me to learn and master Chinese because of the rapid development of Chinese economy.

Konkocebo: I have loved Chinese due to Jackie Li’s play show since I saw his film in senior middle school and till now I have studied Chinese for 6 years

State Department: “The Website in Chinese Version has to be set up in USA”

Many domestic scholars call for “ Protecting Chinese” because in the contemporary society, English nearly monopolizes all the media. However, it is important that Chinese is lasting upgrading in the worldwide with the rapid development of Chinese economy and its international position.

As incomplete statistic that there are over hundred ones among international groups, international companies, international media and well-known colleges have their own Chinese website and pages. The officers in the State Department said:” The rush of learning Chinese culture has been spreaded out among American with the cooperation and communication between China and America in the recent years. USA has to set up Chinese version web page as Chinese key official website has to build English version website.”

Christ from Finland international group posted Chinese greeting card

Christ greeting center from Finland opened Chinese web page and during 2004 Christmas period, many Chinese children received Christmas cards from there.

American most powerful financial News 《Harl Street Daily》, 《Financial Time》 from England and American 《State Geography》opens their Chinese web pages. The administrator for 《Harl Street Daily》English website said that Chinese culture was bringing more and more impact on the whole world so no one mainstream News will ignore the impact of Chinese culture. It is said that about two-third multinational companies which is approved the first 500 powerful companies in the world by 《Wealth》 founded sub ranch in China and built their Chinese websites.

The population of learning Chinese in Europe and America increases 40 per cent yearly

It is statistic that in 2003, the population of learning Chinese in the world is more than 30 million. The correlative people in charge from Country Teaching Chinese office said that “Chinese Upsurge” had been common in the world language communication system. Recently, the population of learning Chinese increases rapidly and even in Europe and America the population increases 40 per cent yearly

Korea:The most population of people studying abroad in China in the world

“ The situation that English is the foreign language Korean people learned most would be instead of Chinese” 《Financial Daily》reporter Cao Shigong stationed in Han city said. In China, the population of foreign students from Korea is the most among the foreign students from other nations.

Japan: Mastering Chinese is the key to find a job

Mastering Chinese is the key to find a job. 《Financial Time》reporter Ma Yu’an stationed in Tokoyo stated that the population of learning Chinese in college had overpassed those learning French and Germany. It is following English and Korean language. In Japan, there are some Chinese training classes but sometimes some people can not enroll it because of too much people register to learn Chinese.

In France, there are many people learning Chinese. Ms. Huang from Chinese Embassy Education Office stationed in France said that France is the first HSK test site in Europe. Many Chinese learners from other European countries have to go to France to take part in HSK test. Noted from Lu Jianming, the president from world Chinese learning institute, that the developing rate of Chinese in France reaches 38 per cent but the rate of English, Japanese, Spanish is 2 percent to 4 percent.

Zhang Zhinian,a journalist of Economy Daily in London said that more and more people in Britain are going to learn Chinese.Most of the young businessman have learnt Chinese.

Experts: The Chinese talents are in a great demand .
Professor Zhang Weijia said that there are three main reasons for global Chinese rush .
First,the demand of talented technists who can use Chinese as a foreign language grows with the China economy and international trade? development increasing.
Second, with the China’s economic and influence to the rest of the world grows,the Chinese culture is in popular.
Third,with the influence to the world increasing,more and more people across the land are eager to know more about China.

Facing “Chinese upsurge” without well preparation.
Pro.Zhang Weijia stated that the speciality foreign students in China were studying happened change recently, from the simple language subject to such subjects as science and technology, economy, management and law. For instance, among the over 3300 foreign students in Peking University, there are nearly half the 3300 students majoring in other subjects besides Chinese language.

Chinese is “polluted” by China-English net words.
Pro.Zhang introduces that though the whole world are pushing to learn Chinese, there are still few people polluting Chinese on some certain occasion, for example, expression with complex Chinese-English, net special words, changing Chinese figure and so on. Our society and media should pay much attention to this case but needn’t much worry about it. Pro.Zhang said that it is normal to confuse Chinese and English. Any open country would meet such case in language lives. Even developed America could not avoid its happen but it didn’t influence the development of American English. Our language policy and stipulation can solve part problems. The “Chinese upsurge” in overseas will encourage people to have confidence in our native language.

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