China Overseas Chinese Network, July 6th. Recently, Australia.com published an article written by a commentator "How did Australians develop their Chinese advantage?"

, to analyze how Chinese is promoted in Australia?

　　The article is excerpted as follows:

　　In Australia, more and more people speak Chinese.

　　According to data recently released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the number of immigrants in Australia has exceeded 50%, and Chinese continues to be the second largest language after English. Nearly 700,000 people speak Chinese at home, up from 600,000 in 2020. increased by 100,000.

The Chinese-speaking population has become the largest growing group in Australia in recent years.

　　Australia's "Chinese fever" is inseparable from the rapid growth of the number of new Chinese immigrants.

However, in addition to the 700,000 people who speak Chinese at home, more and more local Australians are also fluent in Mandarin Chinese and are actively learning.

Why are Australians so keen on Chinese?

　　First, it stems from the Australian government's emphasis on multicultural education.

More than half of Australia's population are immigrants, which encourages the development of multiculturalism and supports the study of foreign languages ​​including Chinese.

Due to the large number of Chinese, the government believes that it is necessary for students to learn Chinese, especially for children and adolescents who are in the stage of language development.

Studies have shown that bilingual children generally do better on tests, perform better in areas such as math, reading and memory, and are more attuned to culturally diverse societies.

Therefore, the Australian government has continuously introduced policies requiring schools at all levels to encourage students to learn foreign languages ​​such as Chinese through various means.

　　Second, it stems from Australians' interest in Chinese culture.

Australians are eager to understand China, a rapidly developing country, and eager to appreciate the history and culture of this ancient civilization.

The 2021 report shows that in the past 10 years, Victoria has offered as many as 74 languages ​​for study, but Chinese has become the most popular foreign language in the state's public schools, reflecting local people's preference for Chinese.

A student at St. Ignatius High School said that he likes Chinese very much, because Chinese and English are written in very different ways, and more importantly, Chinese contains profound cultural heritage and is very attractive.

　　Third, it stems from Australians' consideration of employment opportunities and career development.

Today, almost all the world, including the United States and Europe, is learning to speak Chinese.

With the increasing frequency of bilateral trade and cultural exchanges between Australia and China, there are more and more Chinese-funded enterprises in Australia. Learning Chinese can not only better communicate and communicate with the Chinese side, but also enhance personal cross-cultural ability and international perspective.

For individuals, learning Chinese means more employment and development opportunities.

　　Language is the bridge.

Once the language is mastered, some deep-seated obstacles will be reduced.

The importance attached by the Australian government and local Australians to Chinese learning and foreign languages ​​is an important entry point for reducing the cultural gap between Australia and China and enhancing the relationship between the two countries. The Chinese community has so much to do.

(Chen Ao)