China's growing affluence has led to the unprecedented popularity of the Chinese language, nearly 25 million foreigners are currently studying it aboard, eastday.com reported today.

The nations' successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games and entry to the World Trade Organization has beefed up its profile worldwide. According to approximate statistics, more than 2,100 universities from 85 countries have introduced courses in Chinese.

China is to introduce exams in specialized Chinese for areas such as business affairs, administration and tourism.

The Chinese government has invested substantially in popularizing Chinese around the world, planning to compile Chinese teaching material for foreign countries.

A growing number of elementary and middle schools in foreign countries are introducing Chinese to the curriculum and China plans to build Chinese centers in several foreign countries.

Foreign students from 114 countries signed up to study Chinese via Internet.

(eastday.com July 24, 2002)