China-funded: Three Eight Hundreds

“MSU [Michigan State University], through its award-winning Confucius Institute, already helps thousands of students learn Chinese language and culture. The new Teacher Institute for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language will complement those efforts and build on MSU’s renowned teacher education programs to support the emerging needs of Chinese language educators around the world.

Chinese Language Council International, or Hanban, will provide more than $1 million to help support the institute for at least five years. MSU leaders celebrated the signing of the agreement during a dinner for Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong Thursday in Washington, D.C.“

Michigan State University’s homepage, April 17

According to China Press USA (侨报, Qiao Bao, quoted by Lianhe Zaobao), Liu Yandong (刘延东) announced a three eighthundreds initiative a few days ago: to establish Confucius Institute scholarships this year, providing eight hundred scholarships for students and local teachers of Chinese; to invite eight hundred American university and high school students to participate in the Chinese Bridge summer camp; and to invite eight hundred primary and secondary school principals and district educational managers to China.

China would also continue to send Chinese teachers and volunteers to the U.S., according to the needs of the Confucius Institutes.

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Related: Branding China: Language(s) of a Multi-Polar World, May 18, 2008

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