Vice-President Han Zheng said on Friday that as the home country of the Chinese language, China has always upheld openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning and win-win cooperation in advancing Chinese language education cooperation around the world.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Chinese Language Conference in Beijing, Han said efforts should be made to strengthen capacity building in international Chinese language education in order to meet people's demand for learning the language and understanding the country.
He added that learners around the world should be given help to understand and experience China through language practice, and that cultural exchanges should be encouraged to enhance mutual understanding and trust, enabling people from different countries to get to know each other better.
Han also stressed that language should be used as a bridge to present a true, multidimensional and panoramic view of China to the world, while learning from the stellar achievements of other civilizations with an open attitude.
Furthermore, he added that the Chinese language should be leveraged more effectively to empower international cooperation, enable all parties to share in China's development opportunities, strengthen exchanges of development and governance experience, and bring more stability and positive energy to a world facing turbulence.
Official data from the Ministry of Education showed that 92 countries have incorporated Chinese into their national education systems, and 523 Confucius Institutes and 762 Confucius Classrooms have been established in 164 countries and regions.
Meanwhile, the number of Chinese language learners and speakers overseas has reached 210 million.
Moreover, China has established 38 Luban Workshops in 32 countries, and set up 40 Chinese language workshops at Chinese-funded enterprises and industrial parks in 28 countries, aiming to cultivate and train local professionals with both Chinese-language proficiency and professional skills.
Enda Kenny, former Taoiseach — or prime minister — of Ireland, said this year marks the 20th anniversary of the University College Dublin Confucius Institute, which was established in partnership with Renmin University of China. The institute has introduced language and cultural learning to schools and local communities across Ireland.
In 2026, the institute launched a new program in Chinese language and culture for primary schools, with 31 Irish schools participating, including those serving communities facing educational disadvantages.
"Every child, regardless of their background, deserves the opportunity to discover the wider world," Kenny said, adding that when a young Irish child learns their first words of Chinese, they are beginning to discover another culture, society and way of looking at the world.
"While artificial intelligence and technology will undoubtedly transform how we communicate, and machines can already translate words remarkably well, technology alone cannot replace human curiosity, empathy or genuine cultural understanding," he said.
Siviwe Gwarube, South Africa's minister of basic education, said that language carries histories, preserves cultures, communicates values and enables the exchange of ideas, and also has an important economic dimension.
She called for consideration of how language education can respond to the demands of an evolving global economy, how digital platforms and AI can facilitate language learning, and how teachers' capabilities can be enhanced.
Roberto de Andrade Medronho, rector of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, said that the university is committed to fully integrating Chinese language education into its undergraduate and postgraduate curricula by expanding Chinese learning through professional and scientific collaboration.
