In recent years, Germany is witnessing a Chinese language learning fever. Many middle and high schools offer Chinese courses one after another. In Hamburg alone, there are tens of these schools, which made the demand of Chinese and German adepts familiar with Chinese language exceed supply. Similar cases apply to other cities in Germany.
Nowadays Germany is not alone in this Chinese language fever with many other nations of the world keep joining in. According to media, 400-odd schools in the US have opened Chinese language lessons, let alone China's close neighbor, South Korea. Professor Park Jae-woo from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies said that in South Korea, there were 56 Chinese majors set in junior colleges in 2005, 123 in undergraduate courses. In 2004, number of Korean students applying for The Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) reached around 22,000. Even Thai princess and Spanish prince are learning Chinese now. Last year he rode in a Swiss airline to visit Switzerland, finding that the Swiss air hostess could inquire and communicate with passengers in Chinese...
This Chinese language fever was resulted from profound historical and realistic causes. First of all, Chinese people enjoys a civilization history of 5,000 years, also serves as the essence and treasure of human civilization, therefore its language should surely be cherished by humankind. The Chinese fever contains another meaning of deeper level as well, namely China is becoming more powerful. In recent years, the nation has made noticeable accomplishments after joining WTO, succeeded in application for host of 2008 Olympics and 2010 Shanghai World Expo as well as sending Shenzhou V and Shenzhou VI manned spacecrafts in space. Consequently it is an international trend to develop friendship and start cultural and trade exchanges with China. The occurrence of Chinese language fever is then doubtless.
(Chinanews.cn November 29, 2005)
