Chinese Embassy in Israel Hosts Keynote Lecture on Chinese Language’s International Promotion and the Confucius Institute’s Development

Israel, July 11 – The Chinese Embassy in Israel hosted a keynote lecture on Chinese language’s international promotion and the Confucius Institutes development. Chinese Embassy Education Department Head Xue Hualing explained the state of Chinese language’s international promotion and the Confucius Institute’s development, his lecture received the embassy officials’ warm welcome. The Chargés d’affaires. Miao Deyu, Counselor Zhou Hui and diplomats from the General office, Chamber of Commerce, Consular Section and Division of Politics and other officials and their spouses attended the lecture.

Xue Hualing’s lecture combining text with illustrations was comprehensive and detailed. He introduced the history, origins and current climate of international promotion of Chinese language, and the Confucius Institute’s development, stressing that the strengthening of these efforts are important measures in boosting cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world. This is a significant approach for developing friendships with the world’s people and also a useful means for fostering China’s soft power. According to incomplete statistics, at present there are over 40 million foreigners learning Chinese and around 300 Confucius Institutes have been established around the world. Many countries have listed Chinese as one of subjects amongst those in their university entrance examinations. In recent years a fever for Chinese has arisen in Israel:, more and more Israeli people are learning Chinese. The embassy will play a vital role in the promotion of Chinese language and exchanges between the two nations.

During the lecture Xue Hualing answered questions raised by embassy officials regarding the operation mechanisms and the perspectives of Confucius Institutes, along with questions related to the compilation of Chinese teaching materials.