Chinese Bridge - Build a Direct Cultural Train between China and USA

Today, more than 400 headmaster of primary and secondary schools and education officers from 41 states of the USA take part in the welcome ceremony of "Chinese Bridge for American Schools", which is hosted by Hanban.

The theme of the trip to China in this year is "Taking the Next Step", encouraging the Chinese courses taking in American primary and secondary schools. It's their first visit to China for 90% of the members of delegation. During interview, they express their great interests to China and to its people.

At present, the number of American primary and secondary schools that offer Chinese courses has increased from 220 in 2004 to over 4000, and the students learning Chinese has reached more than 140,000. Now, the number of Chinese courses in American primary schools has overtaken German courses and ranks the fourth popular foreign language after Spanish, French and Latin. The number of Chinese courses delivered in secondary schools ranks the fifth, at heels of the four languages mentioned above. In America, 182 Confucius classes, the highest number in the world, opened in primary and secondary schools.

The delegation of American headmasters from primary and secondary schools will visit seven provinces like Henan and Heilongjiang and is looking for set up sister relationship with the local middle and primary schools.

This trip is said to be one of the important moves for China-USA cultural and educational exchanges. In the five years ahead, more and more Chinese learners will come to China for study.