Tag: chinese language

Through the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), the U.S. and Taiwan have launched the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative, which is aimed at “expanding access to Mandarin and English language instruction, while safeguarding academic freedom.” The move comes after Confucius Institutes have closed across university campuses in America due to concerns that they promote China’s agenda. To mark the launch, U.S. Deputy Secretary for Education...

Australian author and professor Dr. Jeffrey Gil, of Flinders University in Adelaide, claims there is “no barrier” stopping Chinese becoming a “global language” like English, as universal literacy is not required for a global language status.“There is a flawed assumption that all learners of Chinese must learn to read and write to a native-like level—although this does not reflect...

In May, Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor dismissed a controversy over the use of Mandarin in public schools and whether Cantonese should be considered the city’s mother tongue as a “nonissue,” telling legislators her administration had no plan to change its policy on the language of public instruction. The issues arose after a task force was set up last...