Mandarin mania grips Pakistan
More number of students in the country are learning Chinese today than ever before
China’s breathtaking economic development and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has prompted obsession for Chinese language |
With his accurate Chinese accent and precise pronunciation, young Pakistani student Tariq Aziz, surprised all — Chinese teachers, judges and fellow Pakistani students — at a Mandarin language proficiency event in Islamabad.
“I chose to learn Chinese because this is the language of the future. I believe knowing Chinese will make me stand out and open up new opportunities,” Aziz said.
Tariq Aziz has been learning Chinese for nearly a year at National University of Modern Languages (NUML) — Pakistan’s oldest foreign language institute. He is the winner of Chinese Proficiency Competition 2017 and will represent Pakistan at the final Chinese Bridge 2017 in China.
At first, Tariq found the language a little challenging, but his perception changed soon. Sharing some tips for new learners, he said: “Chinese language is strange and bit difficult to grasp as there are no alphabets. New learners should focus on three key aspects of Pinyin [Romanised version of Chinese characters] which are: initials, finals, and tones” to master the language in less time.
Aziz, 20, is one of the many Pakistani students who have been gripped by the Mandarin mania in the country.
More Pakistanis are now learning Mandarin as they regard China as an all-weather and trusted friend of Pakistan and hope that learning the language will offer them a better understanding of their closest neighbour and one of the richest cultures in the world. Friendly bilateral relations built on mutual respect that go back 66 years are one of the main reasons that have spurred the interest in Chinese language, says Dr Anwar Mahmoud, head of Faculty of Languages at NUML.
When the Chinese department at NUML was first opened in September 1970, there were only two Chinese teachers and 13 students. This number has now swelled to dozens of teachers and almost 1,000 students, according to the department. This year, 460 students have been admitted into the programme.
Cultural exchange programmes and celebrations to mark the Chinese New Year festival in Pakistan have also instilled the love of the language in recent years.
Traditionally, the United States, Australia and Europe were the top choices for overseas study for affluent Pakistanis. But the trend has of late been changing with China becoming a more favourable destination given tough visa restrictions and education requirements in Europe.
The growing PakistanChina cultural relations, economic cooperation, and presence of Chinese companies in Pakistan have inspired students to look towards China.
With almost 19,000 students in China in 2016, Pakistanis are now among the fourth-largest foreign student community in China, according to Chinese Ministry of Education statistics. This year, some 5,081 students received Chinese government scholarships.
Mohammad Ahsan started learning basic Chinese in Islamabad before heading to the Renmin University in Beijing for further studies. “Youngsters see China as an economic powerhouse with the potential of becoming the next great superpower. I think learning Chinese is the best way to be part of the growing economy.”
Most Pakistani youngsters believe that learning Chinese will be an asset for their personal and professional growth. China’s breathtaking economic development and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has prompted the Chinese language obsession in all regions of the country, from Karachi to Lahore to Faisalabad, or from Islamabad and Peshawar to Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Young Pakistanis want to attain the benefits of the economic corridor by being part of it through education, business and language,” explains Rukhsana Hassan, senior Chinese language teacher.
“Once there was the English language craze in Pakistan. Now we are witnessing a Chinese fever here,” she said. “Students know learning Mandarin will guide them towards a rewarding career as translator, counsellor or manager,” Hassan told Gulf News.
“Many of my students who have studied Chinese are now studying or working in big Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.”
The growing interest in the language has led to Mandarin centres mushrooming in Pakistan’s major cities. In Islamabad alone, many prominent schools and institutes including NUST, COMSATS, Headstart School, City School, Beaconhouse School and Roots School are teaching the language.
Student Salman Hussain says his knowledge of the Chinese language instantly boosted his career prospects. “Soon after finishing the course, I got a job as a translator in a Chinese construction company in Pakistan.” Mariam Khalid, 21, says that she is taking Mandarin classes as she wants to pursue a master’s degree in China. Mansour Khan, a student at the Obortunity institute for Chinese language, says that the language has helped him grow professionally. “Chinese language has helped in expanding my own electronics business. I often travel to China where speaking the local language helps.”
The Chinese language has also fascinated the media industry in Pakistan. In May 2017, the first-ever Chinese language weekly newspaper
Guashang was launched in Pakistan along with its English version.
Young Pakistanis want to attain the benefits of the economic corridor by being part of it through education, business and language.” Rukhsana Hassan | Chinese teacher The Chinese language has helped in expanding my own electronics business. I often travel to China, where speaking the local language helps.” Mansour Khan | Student