China’s Growing Dragon - the Rise of Chinese in the World

China has the fastest-growing economy in the world. It is currently the third-biggest economy worldwide - according to the World Bank - in terms of Gross Domestic Product and is the biggest exporter on Earth. With the population of China increasing, and the economy thriving, the Chinese language is more important than ever before for business and pleasure.

The strength of the Chinese currency has led to massive investments from foreign businesses in China as it provides a cheap market for goods. As a result, companies from all over the globe have offices, factories and staff in China. Shanghai, alone, has the presence of most of the top 500 multinationals, and that number is growing. As a result, people are flocking to China for work and to experience living in one of the fastest-developing countries in the world. Shanghai is known as the business district, and with a 24-hour lifestyle, the city is one of work hard, play hard. This is often the stepping stone into lucrative financial services careers for young graduates looking to make their mark in one of the many companies that China hosts.

China may have the biggest population in the world with over a billion people. Additionally, the number of Chinese overseas is estimated at around 40 million, with Chinese spoken in countries across South-east Asia, parts of America and in communities in most major cities in the world. The Chinese are important across business sectors - and this is set to rise. As a result, the number of people learning Chinese has skyrocketed in the last 10 years. In Britain alone, the number of university students taking Chinese as their main subject more than doubled between 2002 and 2005, and the demand for Chinese teachers is intense. Business men and women, particularly, are encouraging their children to learn this language, as the importance of China in the global economy - and therefore its growing political and social presence - grows.

Learning a language is a key skill to offer the job market. Whether you want to learn English or learn French in France - when it comes to French schools France offers some of the best learning opportunities - or join the thousands now choosing to study Chinese, there are opportunities just a click away.