Loading ...Chinese Lament a Lack of People Learning Mandarin
In his book The Three Faces of Chinese Power: Might, Money and Minds, author David Lampton discusses how China is using education to boost its influence internationally. Take textbooks as an example. For over a decade, China has funded the development of textbooks used to teach Mandarin at high schools and colleges around the world. By emphasizing the simplified character set favored in the mainland, China is marginalizing its Mandarin-speaking rival Taiwan, who writes and publishes with the traditional character set.
[As an aside, I studied Chinese using a textbook published by the Beijing Language and Culture University Press. My teacher was a wonderful Fulbright Scholar from Beijing, whom I adore. Yet, I can't read the menu at my neighbor's Chinese restaurant!]
Another example is the Confucius Institute, such as the one operated with the Chicago Public Schools. Here China presents a mainland-focused curriculum for students, funded by the Office of Chinese Language Council International. The Xinhua News Agency reports that the “Booming Confucius Institutes Enhance China’s Soft Power.”
It is understandable, therefore, that the Chinese are concerned about the diminishing number of foreigners who are learning to speak Mandarin. From Reuters:
Xu Lin, director of the Confucius Institute, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of China’s annual meeting of parliament, said that in the United States more students studied Latin at middle school than Chinese.
China originally planned to have more than 100 Confucius Institutes worldwide by 2008, but by the end of last year already had more than 250, such is the demand.
Despite this fact, Xu claims that 40-million people are learning Mandarin worldwide.
Here are other articles I have written on this topic:
3 Responses to “Chinese Lament a Lack of People Learning Mandarin”
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Yeah, I started my Chinese study with the textbooks at Beijing Language & Culture University. They were not very great, but I won’t put all the blame on the books. It’s really just what effort you put into it. I’ve found better ways to study than those old textbooks and classes.
Since I’ve returned from China two years ago, I’ve never met another American who studies Chinese on any serious level. I’ve heard of a few but they are rare. Although, I think more and more people will continue to start learning Mandarin. Many Americans are just still trying to stay ignorant to the fact that China is rising in the world.
??This doesn’t make sense. How can “the Chinese” be worried if the number of Confucian institutes are rapidly increasing?
Please read the Reuters’ article. Xu Lin said:
It sounds to me as if its a lack quality instruction rather than quantity of students.