Currently more than 40 million foreigners are learning Chinese and that number is expected to grow to about 100 million by 2010, according to the office of Chinese Language Council International (CLCI).
A Chinese language learning website, www.lnyabc.com, was launched June 12 to provide 10 interactive learning platforms between standard Chinese and 10 foreign languages.
"The platforms provide a simple and practical way to learn Chinese," said Yang Chunhong, director of Lanya Network and Tech Co. which created the learning method.
Learners only need to remember 354 basic words and 595 classified words and then practice them combining common sentences in daily life covering the fields of traffic, accommodation, catering, shopping, entertainment, tourism, sports and trade, Yang said.
There are more than 120 Confucius Institutes across the world engaged in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, Jiang Yandong, an official with CLCI, said.
The United States' College Board is going to offer an advanced placement course in Chinese this year, which means more than 2,000 high schools in the United States will need Chinese teachers in the near future. (Source: China Daily, Jun 13, 2007).
Lanya Network Science and Tech. Co. provides the interactive study platforms of world's main languages and common Chinese. The interactive learning environment is based on the mother tongues of learners. The company promotes the world's peaceful and friendly communication on international education, science, culture, trade, tourism and sports.