Learning Chinese brings opportunities, ambassador says

The Chinese language gives you the key to unlock the rich heritage of the Chinese civilization.” Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to Britain

Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, says learning the Chinese language brings several opportunities.

He made the remarks at the launch of a Confucius classroom at Mid Yell Junior High School, in Scotland’s Shetland Islands, on May 1.

He said there are 29 Confucius institutes across Britain, and last year alone, these institutes and Confucius classrooms enrolled 160,000 students, hosted 4,074 cultural events and drew over 1 million visitors and participants.

“From the south to the north, I see strong and growing enthusiasm from British students in learning Chinese,” he said. “That is why the distance between China and Britain, the barriers of mountains and seas, cannot stop the Chinese language from reaching every corner of Britain.”

Liu said learning the Chinese language will enable British people to appreciate the charm of Chinese culture.

“The Chinese language gives you the key to unlock the rich heritage of the Chinese civilization,” he said. “The magic wand of the Chinese language will also unveil before your eyes the opportunities that China has to offer.

“I also hope you will use the magic wand of the Chinese language to see the complete picture of the real China and become an envoy for China-UK friendship.”