China calls for stronger international Chinese language education, teacher training and global cooperation

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng has called for expanding international Chinese language education through stronger institutional capacity, teacher training, cultural exchanges, and cooperation with countries seeking to introduce or improve Chinese language instruction.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Chinese Language Conference on Friday, Han outlined four proposals to strengthen the global teaching and learning of Chinese and encourage greater international participation in language education.

According to Xinhua, Han said China was committed to supporting the international community in providing quality Chinese language education and responding to the growing interest among people worldwide in learning the language and understanding the country.

He noted that China attaches great importance to international Chinese language education and remains committed to expanding cooperation in the field.

As the home of the Chinese language, China upholds the principles of openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and inspiration, and win-win cooperation, Han said.

China proposes four measures to strengthen global Chinese language education

Han presented a four-point proposal at the conference, outlining areas where China and international partners could work together to improve Chinese language education, strengthen cultural connections, and expand cooperation across different sectors.

1. Strengthening capacity-building for international Chinese language education

The first proposal focuses on improving the capacity of countries and institutions involved in international Chinese language education.

Han called for the development of systematic services for Chinese language learners at all levels, taking into account the strong global demand for learning Chinese and gaining a better understanding of China.

The proposal aims to strengthen the support available to learners and improve the delivery of Chinese language education across different countries and educational settings.

2. Strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges

The second proposal emphasizes building stronger people-to-people connections and cultural foundations between China and other countries through language education.

Han urged efforts to support countries in developing localized Chinese language education programs that reflect their respective national conditions and educational requirements.

He also called for expanding joint training programs for international Chinese-language teachers to improve the availability and quality of teaching professionals.

The proposal includes promoting exchanges and visits between teachers and students from different countries, alongside the joint development and sharing of educational resources.

Han said these efforts should contribute to steadily improving the standards of Chinese language instruction overseas.

3. Promoting mutual learning among civilizations and common development

The third proposal focuses on using language as a means of encouraging dialogue, cultural understanding, and cooperation among civilizations.

Han called for deeper research into mutual learning among civilizations and emphasized the importance of communication between different cultures.

He also stressed the need to continue preserving and innovating civilizations through equal dialogue and exchanges.

The proposal positions language education as a tool for strengthening cultural understanding while encouraging countries to learn from one another's experiences and traditions.

4. Expanding international cooperation through the Chinese language

The fourth proposal seeks to strengthen international cooperation by using Chinese language education as a link between countries and different sectors.

Han said China was ready to work with the international community to connect Chinese language learning more closely with cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, education, science, and technology.

The approach aims to expand the role of Chinese language education beyond classroom instruction and create opportunities for broader international engagement.

Han highlights Chinese language's role in United Nations cooperation

Han also called for greater use of the Chinese language's status as an official language of the United Nations to strengthen international exchanges.

He said the language could help facilitate the sharing of development and governance experiences among countries.

According to Han, greater use of Chinese in international cooperation could contribute to bringing stability and positive momentum to a turbulent world.

His remarks at the 2026 World Chinese Language Conference highlighted China's focus on expanding international Chinese language education through institutional capacity-building, teacher development, educational resource sharing, and cultural exchanges.

The four proposals also emphasized the potential of language learning to support cooperation in education, trade, science, and technology while strengthening connections between China and the international community.