I get news alerts on the learning Chinese craze, something I’ve been interested in for some time.
I know that globally, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of Chinese language programs, and a dramatic rise in interest levels in learning Chinese. I’m wondering if there are any reliable numbers available on things like the number of people actively enrolled in taking Chinese classes world-wide, the number of Chinese language study programs in different countries around the world, etc.?
I found this on digg.com (Warning: the writing is difficult to understand in places):
Link: http://www.shopyifu.com/viewthread.php?tid=512&extra=page%3D1&frombbs=1
[quote]30,000,000 foreigners are learning Chinese language
Since the mid 90’s in last century,After especially getting into for 21 centuries, along with the growth of the China comprehensive national strength and the exaltation of the international position, the Chinese language quickly promotes in the influence of world and learning Chinese language of the foreigner sharply increases.According to the covariance, there are 30,000,000 foreigners being learning Chinese language currently, 2300 remainings of more than 100 nations are teach Chinese the university, “the Chinese language be hot” growth of speed of quick, scale of big, scope of widely be more than to anticipate.At China, come to China learning the student abroad of the Chinese language increase very quickly.According to the introduction, 2004 the language university of in the last years Peking the foreign students of the learning exceeded 10000 people for the very first time.
At the world-wide locations, the need increment of the Chinese language learning is quick.For example, there are already 2500 primary and junior high school in the United States put forward setting up Chinese course, the Indonesian Ministry of Education plan gradually sets up Chinese course in 8039 high schools in the whole country in 2007 in 2004 -s.Many nations in Southeast Asia all call for widespread set up a Chinese language course in the primary and junior high school of whole country.BE widespread the primary and junior high school in Korea to set up a Chinese language course till 2007.At Korea, the examination result of the Chinese language level has already become many one of the standards that the big business enterprises use a person and rise a job.The Korea sets up Chinese course or professional university already 100 many.
At Europe, Chinese has already become Germany many state of the high school will test a category, British Ministry of Education support draws up Chinese language syllabus in the high school, French Ministry of Education just the method bilingual education experiments a plan in aggressively the push the high school.At Africa, at South America, this kind of demanding growth is also very widespread.
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There are no sources given for this information. I wonder how much of it is true (e.g. 30 million? Are there that many people enrolled in Chinese courses?)
Anyone feel like finding some numbers from credible sources? Yes, Uncle Tomas is being a bit lazy.