Quick Facts

• Speakers of Mandarin Chinese are the largest group in the world: 1.2 billion people
• Chinese Mandarin is the fastest-growing language in the US, enrollments have surged*
• A UK poll cited that 15% of businesses lost money because of language and cultural problems**
• "US total trade with China is at a whopping 230 billion dollars"***
• More than 16,000 US companies sell products in China****
• It's not just about manufacturing: China has a very large consumer market. China imported over $500 billion in goods last year. China imported almost $75 billion in US goodslast year.*****

  *Articles below
  **http://www.personnelzone.com/
  ***http://www.china-embassy.org/
  ****US Department of Commerce
  *****http://www.uschina.org/

  Staying Competitive

  "For many Asian posts, language skills are a must, which knocks most Americans out of the running."

  For M.B.A. Students, A Good Career Move Means a Job in Asia. Erin White, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL May 10, 2005

  "Later on, China will have a good business potential--it will help me if I can actually speak with Chinese people," said Jason, a second-year Chinese student.

  "Interest in Chinese Language Increases" www.contracostatimes.com Links here & here.

  "Chinese has become the fastest growing language in Britain, as a series of international events are to be held in China."

  "Chinese Teachers to Teach Mandarin in U.K." www.china.org.cn/english

  "Chinese language on increase as business opportunities rise"

  The University of Adelaide, Australia LINK

  "Chinese receives surge in interest: Enrollment rise strains faculty resources"

  Yale Daily News LINK

  "Chinese Classes Grow in Popularity with U.S. Students"

  National Public Radio (NPR)

  "...students see their future job ambitions helped by Chinese. 'Whatever motivates people to understand that English is not enough to interact globally is a good thing,' she says. 'It's a wonderful thing. It's a relief to hear MBA students saying that they want advanced proficiency in Chinese.'

  "Red Hot China" www.insidehighered.com Oct 28, 2005