Say it in Chinese, American parents tell their children

WASHINGTON: More Americans are dunking their children in Chinese immersion classes and hiring Mandarin-speaking nannies in the hope of giving them a competitive edge as China imposes itself as an economic giant.

"The Chinese language is extremely hot at the moment," said Michael Levine, vice-president of the New York-based Asia Society, a non-profit organization that promotes knowledge and understanding of Asia. "Chinese is a language that people in the hinterland in states as diverse as Kansas and Kentucky - now want to speak."