Promoting Chinese culture, adding splendor to world culture
- By Li Gang
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E-mail China Today, February 15, 2017
Fever for Chinese Learning
Along with its mounting economic power, China has also seen increasing economic and trade contacts with the world. Some transnational enterprises have made the ability to speak Chinese a priority in staff recruitment, reflecting the growing popularity of Chinese language in the world. According to the Confucius Institute Headquarters, by December 2016, 511 Confucius Institutes and 1,073 Confucius Classrooms had been established in 140 countries. In 2016, Confucius Institutes hosted 46,000 teachers and 2.1 million students, holding diverse cultural activities for a total of 13 million participants.
Another phenomenon is the growth of international students studying in China. Chinese language is both a communication tool, and a carrier of Chinese culture. International students thus learn Chinese language and advanced science and technology, while getting a better sense of Chinese culture and tradition, so deepening their understanding of China. By sharing what they have learned with family and friends, they play a role in introducing the real China to the world.
According to the Ministry of Education, 397,635 overseas students from 202 countries and regions studied in China in 2015, including 240,154 from Asia, 66,746 from Europe, 49,792 from Africa, 34,934 from the Americas, and 6,009 from Oceania. The Chinese government has also increased scholarships to encourage more international students to study in China. In 2015, a total of 40,600 overseas students were granted scholarships, an almost 10-percent increase over 2014.
More Say in the Academic World
Through joint efforts of the academic world, three major international academic conferences, namely the International Congress of Historical Sciences, World Congress of Art History, and World Congress of Philosophy, have taken place or been scheduled in China. The International Congress of Historical Sciences was held in Jinan of Shandong Province in August 2015, and the World Congress of Art History in Beijing in September 2016. The 24th World Congress of Philosophy will be held in China in 2018. These three academic conferences are usually held in Western countries, reflecting their leading role in international academic circles. Along with the 2008 World Congress of Philosophy held in Seoul, South Korea, this marks the first time the other two conferences were held in Asia. This not only indicates China’s enhanced academic influence, but also demonstrates growing scholarly interest worldwide in China, and the desire for related communications and exchanges.
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The Idiom Cube, an opera jointly produced by China and the U.S., is performed during the Sixth China Children’s Drama Festival on July 9, 2016. |
An ancient and well-established Chinese culture rests on a mighty foundation. Yet the two questions China still needs to confront are: why is it still not a powerful country culturally? And why doesn’t its soft power match its status as the world’s second largest economy?
According to The Soft Power 30, released by Portland Communications in 2016, China’s soft power ranked only 27th among the 30 countries, the top 10 exclusively comprising developed countries. Beyond doubt, as a large developing country, China has made great contributions to the common development of human society. However, its national image has still not been properly established worldwide, and certain misreadings about China’s development have arisen. Compared to economic development and military buildup, enhancing soft power is even more complicated, and needs more time while seeking a suitable methodology and strategy. It is a long-range objective to enhance cultural soft power, fulfill cultural confidence, and promote Chinese culture, which requires our joint efforts.
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