XXII.VI.XXVI
MANDARIN ON FAST TRACK
DiplomatiQue/Yeshi Seli
In the backdrop of the thaw in India-China bilateral ties, there is an increasing number of Indians who are learning Mandarin. The main lure is the possibility of securing better paying jobs in Corporates or even as translators or interpreters. Besides, Indian students considering studying in China can find knowledge of Chinese useful. According to estimates there are anywhere between 300,000 to 500,000 Indians learning Mandarin at present (students and professionals).
Mandarin is the maximum spoken form of Chinese, encompassing a group of dialects and a standardized language used officially in China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Notably, the Mandarin oranges have deep historical and cultural roots in China. The fruit is native to Southeast Asia and first evolved in the southern regions of China, making it one of the world's pure ancestral citrus fruits (-Wiki).
At an event in Delhi, China’s Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong expressed his gratitude towards those Indians who had supported Chinese language which contributed towards friendly exchanges between India and China.
``In April I along with over 150 Indian teachers celebrated the International Chinese Language day. While celebrating this day students spoke in Chinese and also performances in Chinese language. They were also introduced to Chinese arts and crafts such as calligraphy, paper cutting and tea art,’’ said Ambassador Xu Feihong.
Chinese language programmes are being offered in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Institute of Chinese Studies and Meiyu Chinese centre. Besides, there are many offline and online programs available in the private sector.
According to estimates, nearly 70 per cent learners are IT professionals or in manufacturing. Many students learn Mandarin to secure scholarships or to pursue a career in International Relations or Diplomacy. Meanwhile, competitive programmes in Chinese language for students is also organised annually.
``The Chinese Language Proficiency Competition has been organised since 2002 by the Centre for Language and cooperation under the Chinese Ministry of Education. Since its launch the competition has attracted hundreds of thousands of participants from around the world and has become an important platform for young people to learn Chinese language, explore Chinese culture and strengthen cultural exchanges through speeches, quizzes and artistic performances such as singing, dancing, calligraphy, martial arts and traditional music,’’ said Dr Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
Meanwhile, there is an increasing interest in Indian students wanting to study in China. Indian students mostly consider it for medical studies. There were over 20,000 Indian students studying in China pre-Covid times. There are no official figures at present that share the exact number of Indian students studying in China at present.
``China has in recent years become one of the most preferred destinations for Indian students for pursuing medical degrees. Given the growing number of Indian students coming to China to study, a set of guidelines has been drawn up with the intention of making Indian students (and their families) aware of what is involved in coming to China. China’s Ministry of Education (MOE) has identified a list of universities that enroll foreign students,’’ according to the Consulate of India in Shanghai.
``There is an increasing interest in China to attract Indian students and talent for which knowledge of Chinese is an advantage. When the US threatened revocation or non-renewal of US work visas, China became a viable option. Altough efforts are being made by both India and China the strategic trust deficit could be a dampener on the bilateral trajectory moving into a higher orbit,’’ Ambassador (Retd) Anil Trigunayat told Business India (he was former Ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta).
Meanwhile, the current thaw in the relationship between India and China began last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to China for the SCO Summit in Tianjin. He met with President Xi Jingping and both leaders welcomed the steady momemtum in bilateral relations and reaffirmed that peace and stability along the border was an absolute priority. They agreed that differences should not turn into disputes.
India-China bilateral trade is $155.6 billion, reflecting a year on year growth of 12 per cent. India’s exports to China have grown by 9.7 per cent. Trade deficit has widened at over $100 billion.
Direct flights have resumed between India and China, Kailash Masarovar Yatra too has resumed. There is hope that the trust deficit is reduced and done away with in order to strengthen ties between these two nations.
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Yeshi Seli is an award winning journalist; she is a frequent contributor at fnbworld.com (DIPLOMATIQUE); she writes prolifically on Foreign Policy and Geopolitics. Tweaked for and by fnbworld.com/newsforsoul style's sake. We believe in open source. Kindly feel free to reproduce with due credit(s).. This article first appeared with Business India magazine and has been reproduced with author's permission.
