Bridging East and West through Mandarin learning

International Chinese language education has become increasingly vital to bridge the information gap and enhance cultural understanding between young people in the East and the West, experts and learners said during the World Chinese Language Conference in Beijing. Ryan Bernard, president of Saint Mary's School in the United States, said that understanding people's language, history and values is "more important than ever" in today's globalized world. Meanwhile, Chinese language education in the United Kingdom has emerged as a key avenue for fostering cultural understanding and bridging the gap between China and Britain, said Katharine Carruthers, director of the Confucius Institute at University College London. "Chinese language is never taught alone; it always comes with culture," said Vicente Andreu, whose Chinese name is An Wenlong, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Valencia in Spain. "Language learning is not just an academic journey, but also a bridge connecting young people in China and other countries," said Germole, who was awarded the global champion of the 12th Chinese Bridge for foreign secondary school students.