Want to learn Chinese? Here are facts and tips!

As China's economy and exchanges with the world see rapid growth, there has also been a sharp increase in the global demand for Chinese learning.

Here are some facts and figures about learning Chinese:

According to the Confucius Institute Headquarters, 158 countries and regions around the world had established a total of 535 Confucius Institutes and 1,134 Confucius Classrooms as of Sept 30.

The US had 88 Confucius Institutes, the largest number in a foreign country. The Chinese language has been taught in 1,144 schools in 50 US states and has become the second largest foreign language in the country.

The UK had 30 Confucius Institutes, the largest number in Europe and the second largest in the world. In addition, there are 161 Confucius Classrooms in the country, also the largest number in Europe.

The Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has agreed this year to introduce the Chinese language into the UAE Primary and Secondary Education System.

In Brazil, 15 Confucius Institutes and Classrooms have been opened, more than any other Latin American country.

In South Africa, five local universities, teaming up with 23 universities in China, have agreed to make Sept 17 the Chinese Language Day of South Africa.

Chinese mania is also on the rise in countries and regions involved in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Here are more facts and figures:

In Russia, Chinese was included in the national examination system this year and has become the fifth national foreign language subject in the country.

In Kazakhstan, five Confucius Institutes had been opened by Jan 15, while 14,000 students from the country are studying in China.

In Kyrgyzstan, more than 10,000 students have received Chinese language training.

In 16 Central and Eastern European countries, local governments have established 34 Confucius Institutes and 44 Confucius Classrooms with over 52,000 students.

In South Korea, Chinese has become the second foreign language after English.

If you want to learn more about Chinese; if you want to learn Chinese more efficiently; if you want to understand Chinese buzzwords; if you want to obtain the Chinese level certificate; and if you want to study in China and win scholarships, you can always visit the Learning Chinese column at www.chinaservicesinfo.com, your online guide to government services in China, for useful tips.