China study craze takes off in Turkey

Closer political relations boost for both trade and cultural exchanges

ANKARA — Turkey’s growing ties with China have generated a keener interest among the Turks in learning the Chinese language and culture.

“Learning the Chinese language is something that I’ve wanted before, because I’m interested in Asian cultures,” said Elif Aslan, a 16-year-old student of a private high school in Ankara.

“Like the Turkish culture, the Chinese culture is also very rich, there are similarities in fact and I like it.”

Aslan chose to study Chinese as a second foreign language as English is the compulsory foreign language the school requires its students to learn.

Turks now can learn Chinese in at least 10 universities across the country, mainly in big cities such as Istanbul and Ankara, as well as in private Chinese language teaching programs.

At the Cagri Dil Okulu (Cagri Language School) in Ankara, courses are offered to middle-aged students who can study Chinese by interacting face to face with native Chinese teachers.

“We opened these courses some seven years ago. In the beginning, we had three or four students. But since four years ago, there has been an increase of interest in Chinese language, and now we have several classes of 15 pupils each,” said Bahar Ozturk, one of the managers of the Cagri Language School.

“We have a class full of students who are passing a proficiency test in Chinese,” said Ozturk, saying the popularity of this language results from China’s growing economic power in the world.

“People want to learn Chinese as communication practices in order to go there and get a job there, or start a company and trade with fellow Chinese companies,” she said.

Since 2012, the China-Turkey relations have been growing steadily and, accordingly, the bilateral trade has witnessed a sharp rise. Regular exchange of visits by offiAll

People want to ... go there and get a job there, or start a company and trade with fellow Chinese companies.”

Bahar Ozturk,

cials from the two countries also helped promote the cultural exchange between the two countries, located on the east and the west ends of the Asian continent.

China’s direct investment in Turkey was valued at $642 million in last year.

Turkey, a major regional player and G20 member, is also one of the hubs of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China due to its geographic location, making it a natural point of confluence on the ancient Silk Road.

Another popular place for the Turks to learn Chinese language is the Confucius Institute located in the prestigious Middle East Technical University in Ankara.

The institute offers general Chinese language and business courses to both METU students and the public. It aims to introduce the Chinese culture, history, economy, politics and foreign policy to Turkey’s academic community as well as to experts from other professions.

Du Yun, one of the headmasters of the institute, said there are about 280 students currently learning Chinese at his institute.

“And there are another 1,400 primary and middle school students learning Chinese in Ankara at seven teaching sites,” Du said.