"The overseas craze for learning Chinese has spread from
university to primary and secondary education," said a senior
official with the Office of Chinese Language Council
International?in Beijing?Tuesday.
At the opening ceremony of the "Chinese Bridge for American and
Korean Schools," an exchange program on Chinese language teaching,
1,000 primary and middle school principals from the US and South
Korea expressed their interest in adding Chinese lessons to their
school curricula.
Incomplete statistics show that more than 800 US universities
and 300-plus universities in South Korea have already offered
Chinese courses. And the number continues to rise.
Latest statistics from the US-based Society of Modern Language
Research show that the number of primary and middle school students
learning Chinese in the US increased from 33,000 in 2002 to 50,000
in 2006.
"The huge demand for Chinese courses overseas poses challenges
and opportunities," said Xu Lin, director of the Office. "These
exchange programs spur school-to-school cooperation."
According to Xu, the American and South Korean principals will
visit 18 Chinese provinces and cities, talk with Chinese
counterparts, and sign cooperation agreements with them. Once links
are established, the Chinese schools will dispatch teachers to
counterpart schools and help compile teaching materials.
With most of the principals visiting China for the first time,
the Chinese organizers include cultural exhibitions, lectures and
Chinese lessons in the program.
Chinese Minister of Education Zhou Ji said language is a key to
cultural exchange. Young people should learn both their own
language and other languages.
"We have to help people learn foreign languages," Zhou stressed.
"Cooperation on language teaching will benefit young people from
all three countries and promote bilateral and multi-lateral
ties."
Prior to this, the Office of Chinese Language Council
International had sponsored the visit of 400 US headmasters and 110
British headmasters, most of whom signed agreements with Chinese
counterparts.
The Office said that 30 million people are learning Chinese the
world over, but predicted the figure will hit 100 million by
2010.
(Xinhua News Agency June 26, 2007)
