The Telegraph – Vicky Gough
“…should we really be encouraging more of our young people to say ‘nǐ hǎo’ (‘hello’) to Chinese? ‘Shì de’ (yes), we should! The reality is that languages, in general, are crucial for work and life in the global race, and Mandarin Chinese is one of the frontrunners. Not only is it already spoken by more than a billion people worldwide, but China is recognised as the world’s second biggest economy with many expecting it to wrest the top spot from the US by 2050. If knowing the local language is the tangible tool that provides a vital understanding of local culture – and therefore essential business etiquette in a country such as China – it really can be the ice-breaker for those looking to trade or indeed clinch that high-flying job in a competitive marketplace.”(more)