Aug 13, 2020, 10:43
Almost 1.4 billion people around the world speak Chinese while more and more want to learn it. Photo: VCG
US President Donald Trump ratcheted up his war of words with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in recent days. Shortly after Trump claimed if Biden were president China would "own" the US on Friday night, he doubled down his claims Tuesday, telling conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt if he lost the race to Biden, Americans would have to "learn to speak Chinese." Slamming Trump's remarks, the Biden campaign called Trump "the weakest president in American history with respect to China."
The latest punch Trump landed on Biden was too weak. When he said Americans would have to learn to speak Chinese under a Biden presidency, he might have forgotten that his granddaughter, Arabella Kushner, the eldest daughter of Ivanka Trump, has been learning Putonghua since she was a toddler, and that he was proud of her language skills. "What's wrong with learning Chinese?" US netizens ridiculed Trump on social media platforms, with some claiming it's awesome to learn a second language.
Trump was implying learning Chinese is a terrible thing. For the Trump administration, everything related to China could be called a "threat." Chinese companies, technologies, and trade relations with China have all been regarded toxic by the US. But how can learning Putonghua be bad for the US?
Young generation of Chinese start learning English since kindergarten. Nobody worry it will be bad for China. While an estimated 300 to 400 million Chinese students are studying English, only about 200,000 US students are currently studying some form of Chinese. In fact, more Americans should be encouraged to learn Chinese.
Learning a country's language helps understand the country better. To truly understand a culture, one has to learn its language. If more Americans learn Chinese, they will be able to have a better understanding of China instead of being fooled by the twisted and negative narrative about China by some American politicians and media that harbor ideological bias against China.
Learning to speak Chinese is not a bad thing at all. Should more Americans speak Chinese, they will understand China's development philosophy, foreign policy. To say the least, Americans could have better prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic since they can learn first-hand epidemic preventive and control measures from Chinese media outlets rather than being misguided by US politicians and wasting time.
What the Americans need to worry about is not whether they have to learn to speak Chinese, but that the US doesn't have enough Americans who really understand China. China-US relations that grew from decades of engagement have been kidnapped by some US politicians' hostility to the rising China, and an attempt to decouple the two countries. Let more Americans learn Chinese, then they will be able to tell right from wrong, and grasp the real picture of China that is completely different from the demonization in the election campaign.
Global Times
Here's what we know: Chinese has been a hegemonic language before. The characters didn't prevent it from happening. It's true that the Chinese writing system requires a lot of study, and that being literate in Chinese (or at all) was reserved mostly for the educated upper classes ... but it's become normal for most members of society to be highly educated now anyway. In countries with modern education systems it's normal for children spend over a decade in school, and they'd be considered "highly educated" if you transported them to the past.
Regards, printsbery
Years ago in another life, I was a design engineer for an international manufacturing company specializing in advanced ceramic materials. Many of our customers for raw materials and end products were German and Swiss. I studied German for 4 years on the university level and studied their business culture and customs. Long story short, it improved our business relations tremendously and gained their respect and confidence. Certainly, learning another language and culture goes a long way in developing trusting relationships. I moved to China 14 years ago, although I did not know the language at first, I understood and respected the history, culture and customs. My language proficiency has improved over the years, albeit far from fluent and not at a level I want, but it's enough to communicate effectively. The biggest impression that came upon me when I first arrived, was how unjustly biased and dreadfully incorrect American perceptions were of China and the Chinese people. Americans should be encouraged, first and foremost, to have an unbiased understanding of the culture and customs of China. Learning Putonghua or Guangdonghua would certainly be a benefit.
Clearly Trump is really dumb. Why be an American if Americans are to be like Trump or Biden?
What is being TRUMPETED is that learning an additional language is bad for Americans. Dumb societies tell their people not to get educated. US might as well lower the examination marks for Caucasians but up it for non-Caucasians. That way America will look great, really fantastically immensely great. And the UK should follow suite.
So you Chinese please never go to US, a place where they ask you not to study more. In China you are encouraged to learn Chinese, English, Russian, Spanish or French.
US is a federation of member nations built on capitalism as its foundation that could not last because it failed to feed the needy mouths during serious world wide problem. Worse is the great son-in-law of US President Donald John Trump is at helm to steal and plunder for his own sake and prospers while the needy dies mericlessly.
Best solution is to close its chapter for a new nation - Black US that brings hopes and survival for the real ones in need not for the rich like Jared Kushner who sucks dry blood and bone marrow of his own race members.
No need for US to learn anything new! Time is over and out for US white!
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