Why do Foreigners Need to Get Chinese Names before They Study Chinese?
With the increased global influence China holds, studying Chinese really has become a trend among foreigners keen on tapping the economic opportunities in China. Multinationals are seeking employees with knowledge of Chinese culture, language, and society to further expand in the Chinese market, making Chinese the desired foreign language when competing for employment in the corporate sector. Of course, for China, such a trend is also economically helpful by itself. Rich foreigners, taking advantage of low costs in China, come to study in Chinese universities and in the process, spend freely on local services and products. Yet, amid a generally positive environment for developing a profitable Chinese education industry, the methods with which Chinese are taught to foreigners here, at least from the perspective of a Chinese raised abroad, seem quite discomforting. With universities completely controlled by the government, the Chinese education curriculum here continues to hold stron